This year’s Christmas in the Park event set new records for canned goods and cash donations. The annual lighting display, sponsored by Paducah Power System, generated 74,235 pounds of food and $40,043. The previous record for food donations was 69,134 pounds in 2011. The most money previously collected in a single season was $38,218 in 2010. “We are thrilled and very humbled by the results, said Andrea Underwood, Director of Community Relations for Paducah Power System. Because it’s been a tumultuous year for us, we didn’t know what to expect this season. We chose to move forward with Christmas in the Park because of the devastating effect suspending the event would have had on the food pantries that benefit from it, and, as it turned out, the community was extremely supportive of each aspect of this fundraiser throughout the entire season.” The donations were gathered through three activities: the lighting displays at Noble Park, Stuff-The-Truck in early December and the School Challenge. Lourdes and Baptist Health Paducah employees filled a semi-trailer with 10,350 pounds of food during the Stuff-The-Truck event on the hospital parking lots, thirteen schools in Paducah/McCracken County collected 36,055 pounds of canned goods during the School Challenge, and the rest was collected at Noble Park. “We can contribute much of our success to the schools this year because they also set a record with the School Challenge, positioning us for a great grand total,” said Underwood. “We’re extremely grateful for their help and the help of everyone who contributed in some way, including the Paducah School of Art and Design which created a new lighted work of art for us for the first time. The totals and the many positive comments we received from the community during the holiday season lead us to believe that we made the right decision in lighting up the park this year.” Proceeds from “Christmas in the Park” will be divided among Paducah Cooperative Ministry, the Salvation Army, Family Service Society and St. Vincent DePaul Society. Delivery of the food is being coordinated now with the assistance of Wagner Moving and Storage and James Enterprises which provide transportation and warehouse space for the food.
Posted on: Thu, 08 Jan 2015 18:27:16 +0000
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