Rotary Lights needs our help so they can continue to help others

Over the past 27 years, hundreds of thousands of people have made the trip through La Crosse’s Riverside Park to enjoy the Rotary Lights. It has become one of the biggest and brightest holiday light displays in all the Midwest. But now, those lights have gone dark. Vandals cut and stole electric cabling used to power more than three million lights from the park over the weekend. That is shameful, hardly befitting of the holiday the lights celebrate. It is estimated the cost of replacing the cabling is around $10,000. It is not yet clear how quickly the cords can be replaced, and what that means for this year’s display. Perhaps we can help turn the lights back on. The Rotary Lights is funded entirely by private donations from sponsoring businesses and patrons who walk or drive through the display. The proceeds are then donated to local charities like food pantries and others helping those in need. If Rotary Lights can’t be held, those charities don’t get the donations. So, what if we stepped up and made a small donation? With a $5 donation, it would take just 2000 people to donate. At $10 that is just 1000 people. That should be easy to accomplish. So, if you have enjoyed Rotary Lights in the past and want to make sure it keeps shining brightly, consider making a small donation. Because it looks like the spirit of giving may need to start a little early this year.