Holiday Luminary Celebration

This year's celebration will take place on Sunday, December 19th at dusk. 

For the last five years, Hailey resident Lee Dabney has organized a Holiday Luminary Celebration to benefit The Hunger Coalition. These luminaries lined the streets of her Northridge neighborhood that first year, offering glowing symbols of hope and peace . They spread in size and scope over the next few years to reach over 6,000 luminaries gracing homes throughout Northridge, Old Hailey, Della View, Curtis, Deerfield, Woodside and even into Bellevue last Christmas. She hopes that the event will keep growing throughout our community, providing a great fundraising and education opportunity for The Hunger Coalition. She says, “My vision is that most of our valley will be lit on ‘Luminary Night’ (the Sunday before Christmas) in years to come.”

Luminaries cost only $1 each and 85 cents of every sale goes to benefit The Hunger Coalition.  Thousands of dollars have been raised through this event over the years thanks to Lee and her many volunteers.  When asked what inspired her to start this event for The Hunger Coalition, Lee said, “My sister Maria is in charge of doing luminaries in her town and I always thought it was such a great tradition. My son Nate was about 6 months old and I put him in the backpack and started knocking on my neighbors' doors. I think the baby thing worked to my advantage, it was FREEZING and everyone kept inviting us in to warm up. Once I explained what I was trying to do almost everyone participated.”

To get involved, please contact Lee Dabney at ldabney@cox.net or 578-0861.  She says volunteers love to help with the effort because of both its beauty and meaning: “I am amazed how something as simple as a candle in a bag can be so lovely and poignant. It is incredible knowing each one represents money raised to help feed our neighbors. What is more fundamental than being fed and feeding those you love?”