Anderson Lights of Hope

13 Years of Holiday Lights in Anderson

What is Anderson Lights of Hope?

 

Anderson Lights of Hope is a local non-profit group formed initially to continue a long-standing community tradition of a holiday lights display which through active fundraising and educational programs will provide funding to Anderson and Oconee County non-profit organizations that offer special needs services, physical, occupational and speech therapy services for children and adults with mental and physical disabilities. This was to fill the void that the previous event managing agency left behind when it left Anderson.

 

What is the Lights of Hope Christmas Light Display at Darwin Wright Park Event

 

The Lights of Hope Christmas Light Display at Darwin Wright Park is an annual fund-raising event run by Anderson Lights of Hope, a non-profit organization.  Located at Darwin Wright Park, the park is owned by the Army Corp of Engineers and operated by the City of Anderson, the location and power is donated to Anderson Lights of Hope. The proceeds of the event are disbursed to local non-profit agencies, based on their level of participation in operating the event.

 

In 2006, the participating charities included:

 

· Anderson/Oconee Speech and Hearing

· Toys for Tots

· Living Without Limits

· United Way Youth Volunteer Corp

· Special Olympics Area 13 &14

· Cancer Association of Anderson

· Anderson Interfaith Ministries

· D.C.E.C.

· High Hopes for the Handicapped

 

$28,000 was disbursed to these agencies from the 2006 Lights of Hope Christmas Light Display at Darwin Wright Park event.

 

In addition, although they did not participate in any of the operations of the event, Easter Seals of South Carolina received the insurance payment for damages to the light displays from the 2005 event (the needed repairs were funded out of the 2006 event proceeds), as well as the sponsorship money for the 2006 event.  We estimate that Easter Seals of South Carolina received approximately $28,000 from the sponsorship money and insurance proceeds.

 

How did Anderson Lights of Hope start?

 

The Lights of Hope Christmas Light Display at Darwin Wright Park fund raiser started as an Easter Seals Anderson-Oconee affiliate annual event, which ran for 11 years, building a community awareness of the event.  In 2006, the Easter Seals Anderson-Oconee affiliate was disbanded.  At the recommendation of several of the Easter Seals Anderson-Oconee advisory board members, the Lights of Hope Christmas Light Display at Darwin Wright Park event was transferred to a group of volunteers, with the objective of maintaining the event and using the proceeds to continue to benefit local charities.  This volunteer group includes former Easter Seals Anderson-Oconee advisory board members, and other community members.  This was a fitting resolution to what to do with the event and supplies, as the displays, materials, advertising, and community outreach were totally funded and implemented through the donations and participation of the Anderson community that supported the Easter Seals Anderson-Oconee affiliate.

 

Anderson Lights of Hope is made up entirely of volunteers.  There are no paid staff members.  There are three volunteer Directors to oversee the daily operation of Anderson Lights of Hope.  Every minute that is directed to organizing, collaborating, repairing, begging for supplies, or working with the City of Anderson or Corps of Engineers is volunteer labor.  The expenses of supporting the event include advertising, new displays, replacement light bulbs, extension cords, and the warehouse building where displays are housed.  The goal is that every dime raised at the Lights of Hope Christmas Light Display at Darwin Wright Park gate goes to local charities based upon their participation. That is 100%. This goal was not reached in 2006 but is on track for a 90% reality in 2007.  Anderson Lights of Hope raises operational funds during other events and by funds raised in the Santa Lodge.

 

Polar Bear Jump

 

After the success of the Lights of Hope Christmas Light Display at Darwin Wright Park event, Anderson Lights of Hope attempted to take on another of the community tradition event formerly run by the Easter Seals Anderson-Oconee affiliate, with the same intended outcome as the Lights of Hope Christmas Light Display at Darwin Wright Park event.  A smaller group of charities was invited to participate in the work of and proceeds from the Polar Bear Jump, with the invitations based on the primary charities from the Lights of Hope Christmas Light Display at Darwin Wright Park recipients.

 

The event in 2007 went poorly. The costs to hold the event exceeded the revenue of the event, leading to bad publicity, ill feelings in the community, and damage to the reputations of charities and individuals.  Some of the charities invited to participate and assist in the work did not, therefore, leaving all of the work to the Anderson Hope it Lights volunteers who were still taking down, housing and packing up the light displays from the 2006 Lights of Hope Christmas Light Display at Darwin Wright Park and YVC.

 

Future

 

Our vision of the future is to grow the Lights of Hope Christmas Light Display at Darwin Wright Park event as a fund raiser that continues to benefit local charities and residents, and that ‘all money raised here stays here’.  In addition, we want to build on the opportunity to reach and educate the many people who visit the Lights of Hope Christmas Light Display at Darwin Wright Park each year, to further leverage the knowledge and access to available resources in the community.

 

In addition to the fund raising efforts, Anderson Lights of Hope is providing opportunities for community members, such as high school and college students fulfilling community service obligations or internship requirements, church groups, civic groups, and others to participate in management, organizational, and operational experiences.  Also, the Lights of Hope Christmas Light Display at Darwin Wright Park event is an opportunity for some of the charities to have a great deal of visibility in the community, which they might not otherwise receive.

 

Frankly, the Lights of Hope Christmas Light Display at Darwin Wright Park event is a hard way to generate donations.  It takes a tremendous amount of effort by a large number of people, over the entire year, with a huge effort in November and December.  All of this is done by a group of volunteers, who believe that this event, and this community, is worth the effort.

 

Problems

 

Yes, we have had our share of problems.

 

We jumped into this work with $0, light displays in need of maintenance and repair, and with little knowledge of management of a non-profit agency.  We have struggled to get the correct tax forms completed and submitted.  As many of us know, the red tape associated with any tax determinations takes time.

 

The transition of the event from Easter Seals of South Carolina to Anderson Lights of Hope has been a little bumpy.  The public did not realize that Anderson Lights of Hope was and is operating with no paid staff and no intact support network.

 

Even with all of this, the Lights of Hope Christmas Light Display at Darwin Wright Park was a successful event, with the prospect of being even better for 2007.

 

Weather plays a major factor in all events. The striking of the 2006 Lights of Hope Christmas Light Display at Darwin Wright Park Christmas light displays were delayed by over one month due to rain and soggy grounds. Rain can cancel a night of the event, snow or ice can close the event for days or even damage displays.

 

The Polar Bear Jump?  In hindsight, maybe this event never should have occurred.  The event was declining in revenue over the last several years as an Easter Seals Anderson-Oconee affiliate event.  It had changed venues over the last several years, and the 2007 event included both a change in venue and change in date.  The weather was poor, and attendance suffered.

 

However, there are a number of issues that were raised following the Polar Bear Jump that were not quite accurate.  Among these issues were the omission of the fact the Special Olympics Areas 13 and 14 received $5,000 from the 2006 Lights of Hope Christmas Light Display at Darwin Wright Park event, and assertions from other non-profit agencies about the use of donations.  We have chosen to take the high road, and not respond to these allegations through the media, as further discussion of these issues in the media can only cause damage to all charities.  Since our concern is with the recipients of the charities, we prefer to put our energies into repairing our reputation and rebuilding the public trust in our efforts.

Goals for 2008

 

The cost of becoming a 501 c 3 organization exceeds $1,200.00, with filing costs at $750.00, attorney and postage taking the remainder, it is our goal to have our “Tax Exempt” status by end of May 2008. We are not taking the donations from the gate receipts to pay for this cost. It will have to come as a special donation.

 

The purchase of three new light displays for 2008. Our board has selected these from our wish list of lights.

 

To continue to educate the public, in a positive manner, the services available to them in Anderson and surrounding counties. Help them acquire these services and promote better health in the area.