Offaly Christmas Lights committee in crisis
No member of the public show up for meeting in Clara
THE Christmas Lights committee in Clara is in crisis. The small committee has been working hard for years to ensure the town is lit up for the holiday season but receive little or no support from the local community.
In a statement the committee said: "It breaks our hearts to write this, however we have reached a crisis point. At our recent public meeting, called to plan this year’s Christmas light, not a single member of the public attended. Not even our local council representatives.
"For years, our small volunteer committee has worked tirelessly to bring Christmas magic to our town. We’ve braved cold nights and long hours to create something that lights up hearts as well as streets. But now we are just four women, and the dedicated men who once helped us safely hang the lights are no longer available.
"The work is too heavy and too dangerous for us alone.
"What We Desperately Need Right Now
"- A qualified electrician to ensure all wiring and connections are safe. - A licensed cherry-picker operator. (We will hire the cherry picker, we still need someone certified to operate it.)
"- Strong volunteers to help prepare the lights each night to be strung and traffic management to support the small crew that have been doing this the past couple of years.
If we can’t fill these roles, our only option will be to pay a professional crew, that would drain the limited funds we’ve raised all year and force us into extra fundraising just to cover the cost, adding even more work for a committee already stretched to its limits.
"Unless volunteers step forward immediately, there will be no Christmas lights this year. No festive glow, no welcoming sparkle, just dark streets where joy once shone.
"This is for your town, your community, and your families. Please don’t let the lights go out. If you can help in any way, contact us today. With heavy hearts and hopeful spirits,
"Your Committee Frances, Michelle, Joyce, Maura, Brendan and Gary.''