Abbott House to show Christmas lights one last time to reach fundraising goal

In an effort to reach its annual holiday fundraising goal, the Abbott House will show its Christmas light display one last time this season.

Development Director Allen Lepke said this week that the light show at Abbott House — a residential treatment facility for girls aged 9 to 17 — came up about $3,000 shy of its holiday season goal of $7,800. Before it is taken down for the season, the lightshow will be displayed from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Sunday.

The exceptionally cold and snowy weather may be to blame for this year’s decrease in donations.

“We have found that when we have someone manning the donation box, we have received more donations,” said Lepke. “But it was so cold most of the nights during the lighting it was just too dangerous to have anybody out there.”

Sunday was chosen for the final lighting due to its somewhat mild forecast, making it possible to have volunteers positioned at the donation boxes along Court Merrill.

“We’ll have some great music playing, a lot of Trans-Siberian Orchestra and a couple others that really have intense lights,” said Lepke.

The light show is scheduled to continue next year. By then, the Abbott House will have an expanded building to decorate. The money raised goes to the facility’s annual fund.

Lepke said he wants people to think about the girls that are served by the facility. “We are putting the

(Sunday) event on for the community and for the area and hopefully they will be willing to help us meet our goal,” he said.

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