From the moment the Fort Collins Business Association lights up downtown every November, the holiday spirit can feel ever-present, especially downtown. As the season progresses and more people begin lighting up their businesses and homes, there are a few particular light displays that are worth some extra attention.
One of Fort Collins’ staple light displays is the big blue-lit Christmas tree that sits just south of Old Town at the First Presbyterian Church. The Nightlights display is the handiwork of the Realities for Children non-profit organization and an important fundraiser in their series of annual events. When this fundraiser and Christmas display was first conceived of by the Realities team, it was in response to funding issues they were seeing in their own and partnered non-profits year after year. As the calendar approached its end, annual budgets were wearing thin and the important services they provided were becoming less available as a result. That paired with statistical rises in domestic violence and abuse cases over the holiday season called for a solution.
Nightlights, lit every December 1st for 24 years in Fort Collins, provided an answer both elegantly stated and effective. Bringing light to the long dark nights of winter, as donors sponsor nightlights, helping fund an important cause in a time when that support is most needed. Donors and groups who go above and beyond in their efforts to support and bring awareness to this cause through Nightlights earn the title of Guardian Angel.
“The concept of the nightlights was creating a connecting point where we could invite community to come together and brighten the lives of these children and bring an awareness to the issues of child abuse,” Craig Secher, the Founder and President of Realities for Children told us of the display. “It’s about meeting an increased need during a very difficult time for kids.”
Original installments of the display involved a real tree at The Avery House, but the event quickly outgrew the availability of space at that location. When First Presbyterian Church offered to host the display, Secher and the Realities team saw a perfect match. Before long, with the help of their sponsors, Night Lights was designed, built, and born into Fort Collins’ holiday traditions. The landmark of the ‘big blue tree’ serves as a reminder of the young people in our community who the non-profit serve, blue being the international color of child abuse prevention and awareness. It also serves as a symbol of hope, of a community that is facing these difficult challenges head on and working to light up the darkness.
The design has changed and upgraded over the years, most recently with programmable lights that are displayed alongside music from local performers. The lighting ceremony is an opportunity for community members to come together, learn about Realities and their partner organizations, and enjoy an old fashioned community tree lighting ceremony.
“Even if it’s a very not-old-fashioned tree,” Secher says, “the concept remains the same.
For those who’d like to get involved in supporting the crusade against child abuse there are a littany of opportunities to support the cause on the Realities for Children webite. Realities partners with 39 different youth organizations to provide not only short term and emergency aid to abuse victims but also support recovery with resource distribution and even scholarships for the kids. Aside from Nightlights there are volunteer opportunities, item donation events like Bikes for Tikes and Santa’s Workshop and of course, more events that bring the community together to learn and raise awareness like the annual Realities Ride.
A little newer on the holiday light display circuit you’ll find Colorado Youth Outdoors’ display, Winter Wonderland. While the non-profit organization has been operating since 2001 this is one of their newest fundraising events, running from November 25th all the way until New Years Eve it is the area's only drive through light display. Located on a property on the opposite side of the I-25 corridor, the display includes sixteen light features and nearly two-hundred-thousand individual lights stretched over a one mile loop through the property. This being double the amount of lights and features from last years’ inaugural display and perhaps most importantly, the features are now designed and made locally by sponsors and volunteers.
“Our volunteer base is really second to none,” Bob Hewson, Colorado Youth Outdoors founder and President says of what they’ve been able to accomplish, “I really hope that every non-profit gets the opportunity to brag like that.”
Colorado Youth Outdoors’ mission focuses on strengthening relationships between young people and the prominent adults in their life, primarily using traditional outdoor recreation activities as a means of doing so. While the activities provide an opportunity for them to interact and learn together, the real prize isn’t learning a new skill so much as spending quality, intentional time together.
“What they really need is time,” Hewson explains their approach, “we take that time and turn it into time well spent.”
Fundraising events like this allow them to provide more of those opportunities, interactions and well-spent time. From after school programs to summer camps and even partnering with other non profit organizations to provide one of a kind outdoor experiences to individuals who might not otherwise have the opportunity to participate. What’s more is this is fully a family affair. Hewson was motivated in part to create this non-profit after reflecting on the role outdoor recreation had played in creating connections and building relationships within his own family. Having watched the organization form as a kid, his daughter, Sarah Mickelson, has recently become a full time employee of the organization.
“I got to see it start from the idea phase and I’ve just really admired how this organization has grown throughout these twenty years,” Mickelson says of the family business where she now serves as Fund Development Manager.
Given the success of Winter Wonderlands’ first year it is recommended that people reserve a time on the Colorado Youth Outdoors website ahead of driving to the property. On the same site you can find details about program enrollment, other seasonal activities like Santa’s Workshop, and volunteer opportunities galore.
However you choose to invest your time, energy and goodwill this holiday season, we’d encourage you to consider not only visiting these incredible light displays but also supporting the wonderful non-profit organizations that work so hard to make our community a better place for everyone who calls it home. Forging relationships, providing safety to those who can’t secure it for themselves, enabling people to live better in this wild and beautiful place. For these non-profits it's all in a day's work. Just keeping a light on through the dark.