THUNDER BAY – Organizers of the Parade of Lights are hoping the community will shine bright in the two weeks leading up to this year’s event.
With a target of raising $20,000 through an online fundraising page before the Dec. 1 parade, Thunder Bay Police Association members have issued a public appeal to help drive donations for the four benefitting charities – Autism Ontario, Special Olympics Thunder Bay, Thunder Bay Therapeutic Riding Association and the George Jeffrey Children’s Centre.
“With this being our 20th, we want it to be bigger and better than ever. At the end of the day, we do this event to support these charities,” organizing committee member Julie Tilbury said on Thursday.
“We know the amazing work they do in our community. We know these young people need the support of the greater community and Thunder Bay is so generous. If we can all wrap around these charities, we know we’re going to make a better community and we’re going to really help some young people move forward in their lives.”
As of the early afternoon, the online fundraising page had just under $1,000 in donations.
Tilbury said with this being the first year they’ve included the online component, many people might now have been aware of its existence. She urged people to consider making a $20 donation, to hit the $20,000 target in its 20th year.
The event typically raises just under $30,000, through pledge sheets from participants and donations collected during the parade. The goal is to exceed $40,000 this year.
Tilbury said there are usually about 40 people walking the route to collect donations, but they often get lost in the crowd.
“Our parade is so big that a lot of people are telling us after the parade that they didn’t get an opportunity to make a donation because they couldn’t find our parade walkers,” Tilbury said.
“There are so many people on the route. This way, we’re allowing the opportunity so if you think the four charities are ones that you want to give to we ask that you do it in advance and then you can sit back and enjoy the parade.”
Thunder Bay Therapeutic Riding Association representative Clarence Downie said the parade represents 60 per cent of their annual fundraising.
“It allows us to look after getting horses, buying tack, different stuff we need for the kids to be able to ride on horseback,” Downie said. “To feed the horses is a big undertaking. We always need lots of money to do that. We have 10 horses to look after.”
The parade will begin at 7 p.m. on Dec. 1, with the route starting at Manitoulin Transport on Main Street. It proceeds over the Main Street Bridge, down Memorial Avenue until Queen Street and then back along Fort William Road before ending at Water Street.
