Imagine, if you will, thousands of flickering lights shining brightly along the streets of Woodcroft. If you lived in Woodcroft between 1985 and 2003, you don’t have to imagine, you will remember that one special night each December.
From the club’s earliest days one of the goals was to raise monies to donate to local charities. If we could involve the community, it was even better. Starting in 1985-yes, that first club year-WWC began selling luminary kits to the residents of all Woodcroft neighborhoods to celebrate the holiday season. This was no small task but the display each December was dazzling! The cost for many years was 25¢/kit which included a white bag and a candle. Sand to fill the bags was donated and available at the Woodcroft Swim Club parking lot. Residents were asked to line their street fronts and sidewalks on a chosen night and time. In the beginning, local businesses sponsored the luminaries for Woodcroft Pkwy and Boy Scouts helped with the large task of placing and lighting them. It took many members and community volunteers to organize, from the ordering and storing of supplies, the selling and delivering of kits, folding the bags for the parkway, placing and lighting luminaries, and next-day clean-up. Entire families got involved; my kids loved helping me fill the bags with sand and place them and then watching as I lit the candles.After the lighting, pedestrians and cars (with only parking lights on) would slowly wind their way through the streets to take in the glowing spectacle. It truly was magical!
Peggy Fee led the effort for many years. She also offered her garage for storage of the bags and candles. When she moved out of the area on the selected day one year (we’re glad she came back) she first placed her luminaries in front of her house and had a neighbor light them so the line would not be broken.
Not only were the luminaries a wonderful community effort, but they also turned out to be WWC’s most profitable fundraiser to this day. After a few years some other nearby neighborhoods began buying kits from us which greatly increased our sales. It is difficult to know exactly how much was raised but it ranged from about $3000 to $5000 each year and was approximately 40% of the club’s income! All from those 25¢ kits!
The last year (we think) that the luminaries were sold was 2003. There were many reasons for the decision to stop - the sales to other neighborhoods (by then the largest profit maker) declined, resident participation waned, weather was unpredictable and it was difficult for our members to take on this large task, but even though it has been more than 2 decades since the last lighting, I have only good memories of them and how the community came together for one night each year to create a beautiful and inspiring display!
