Looking for a fun way to enjoy the holidays with your family while helping out local organizations and charities? The town of Manlius is providing an opportunity for this by bringing residents and local organizations together in their first Holiday Lights, Camera, Trees event from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 5, at Four Season Golf and Ski.
“We wanted to have this event as an avenue for organizations to have a fundraiser,” said Peggy Kenyon, director of the Town of Manlius Recreation Department. “It also brings an opportunity for families to do activities together for the holidays.”
Organizations who register in advance will be provided with a tree to decorate on the day of the event. Donation boxes will be set up in front of each tree and families who attend will have the opportunity to walk through the display of trees and give money to whichever organizations they choose, Kenyon said.
All of the money raised by the participating groups will go to whichever organization or charity they are sponsoring.
Admission is $1 per person (children 3 and under are free). Refreshment will be served and a photo booth with props will be set up for families. One picture will be printed out per family and the rest will be posted on the Town of Manlius Recreation Department’s Facebook page.
The department is asking families to pre-register the event by calling the recreation office at 637-5188 to get an estimate of how many people will be in attendance.
About eight local groups and organizations have already registered to decorate a tree for the event, but more are welcome to join by submitting a form by Monday Dec. 1, Kenyon said. This form can be found at the recreation department’s Facebook at facebook.com/pages/Town-of-Manlius-Recreation-Department/241570324905.
“Our goal for the first year of the event was to have 10 to 15 organizations. We’ve almost met that goal but more will be even better,” Kenyon said. “I think it’s important to have events that are affordable and fun to do as a family.”
Hayleigh Gowans is a reporter for the Eagle Bulletin. She can be reached at [email protected].
