Sarnia's financially strapped Celebration of Lights has received a major $10,000 boost from Southwest Crematoriums Ltd.
Celebration board director Bill Suisham says Wednesday's pledge of support from the D.J. Robb, McKenzie and Blundy and Smith funeral homes along with Needham-Jay Funeral Home in Petrolia, Steadman Funeral Home in Brigden and Denning's of Forest and Watford was very unexpected.
"We were just setting up for a meeting with all other people that have come forward to adopt displays and they asked if they could a quick presentation just before the meeting started, we had no idea what was coming, it was just a total shock," says Suisham.
Suisham says, in less than a month, about $26,000 has been raised. Donations have also been made by Ontario Power Generation, the village of Point Edward and the Seaway Kiwanis.
He says the money will be used to replace light bulbs, repair displays and work toward a full display next year.
"A good portion of it is going towards getting everything 100% and then basically we're putting together the budget for a big opening ceremonies next year, bigger than you've seen in many years,"says Suisham.
The displays will be pulled out of storage November 5 with community set up scheduled for November 12.
The lights will be turned on Friday November 18 during a scaled down opening ceremony.
