This year’s Cochrane Light Up may actually ‘light up’ if board chair Marni Fedeyko has her way.
With seven new members on the Cochrane Light Up’s nine-person board, Fedeyko said they are looking to add to the event, which has acted as the official kick-off to winter and the holiday season for the community.
“We want to bring a bit more of a business side to it,” said Fedeyko, adding that several Main Street businesses have inquired about how to become more involved in the festivities, and that their contribution would bring a new dynamic to the evening. “We are hoping some of the new ideas will drive more locals and local businesses to participate.”
One way Fedeyko envisions businesses becoming more connected to Light Up is by providing raffle tickets to be sold at each store, which in turn would bring additional foot-traffic into the shops.
Fedeyko also wants to bring back the ‘light up’ of Light Up.
Having selected a willing-and-able tree centrally located on Main Street, Fedeyko hopes downtown businesses would participate in an official light up of Main Street by flicking the switch at the same time as the tree, roughly around 5:30 p.m.
Fedeyko said this year being Spray Lake Sawmills’ 70th anniversary, the board is hopeful the Cochrane company will be involved in the light-up portion of the event.
All of the favoured-activities Cochranites have come to expect from Light Up will remain, such as a visit from Santa Claus, the children’s tent, hotdogs and hot chocolate and firepits.
Grand Avenue Pharmacy will be sponsoring the children’s tent this year, providing $500 – roughly half the cost of the tent.
Fedeyko would like to make donations to the Cochrane Activettes easier as well, by adding additional drop-off spots.
Other ideas that have been tossed around the board’s table is to enact a ‘random act of kindness,’ where gift boxes are made up by local businesses and given to 25 people, who will then each give to another person creating what is known as ‘paying it forward.’
Fedeyko also suggested the idea of businesses offering a coupon or free gift to become more involved in the Light Up festivities.
“There should be a partnership of both,” Fedeyko said of the businesses and the families that attend Light Up. “I’ve never understood why it hasn’t meshed that well in the past.”
Fedeyko said the Town of Cochrane has agreed to provide eight porta potties for the next Light Up; last year there were four and approximately 3,500 people attended the event.
Light Up recently became a registered society, meaning it will be able to apply for grant funding from the town for its 30th year in 2014.
Light Up will have a float in this year’s Labour Day Parade. Anyone wishing to contact Fedeyko about the Light Up event can call 403-796-8068.
