Lets Make It Merry

       The Walton Chamber of Commerce is teaming with members of the Walton community to begin a fundraising effort to replace the current Christmas lights lining Delaware Street in Walton. The current lights are very old and no longer light, due to their age, new technology and the number of times they have been repaired.

          The first lights were bought by the Chamber in 1929. Margaret Jackson Gladstone Bailey was instrumental in the purchase of the current lights in the 1980s when she was Walton Chamber President. Waltonians will remember the “NOEL” banners that graced each end of the village for many years. Deb and Neil Bartlett of the Walton Historical Society, along with Deb Valentine, the chairperson of this new committee, researched the history of the lights and that information and some pictures will be on the Walton Chamber of Commerce Facebook page. The committee invites others to contribute photos if they have them too.

         The community at large has always been an important part in the decorating. Keath Davis, Bob Vitti, Dan Hodges, Kevin Armstrong, Kevin O’Brien, and more volunteers, have been hanging the decorations for many years. We are hoping that same community spirit can continue for the next chapter. The decorations are stored in a Chamber shed in the off season and in 2006 they sustained heavy damage from the flood waters of June 29, 2006. Bob Vitti and the current Walton Chamber have repaired, refurbished and salvaged the lights as much as possible. But in trying to replace the old incandescent bulbs with LED, the lack of heat caused condensation in the lamps and burned out the circuits. At this point, there are no more options than to replace them.

           It’s time to make a change, but as they are very expensive to buy, the Chamber is reaching out to the community. The committee has set a goal of $10,000 to try to raise by March 3, 2023 to be able to purchase them at discount prices from the distributors. That money will be used to replace all the lanterns on the poles down Delaware St. and hopefully the swag. If the fundraiser exceeds that amount, the extra money may be used for decorations for other entrances to the village, or seasonal banners to use along Delaware St for other holidays. But the initial budget is what is expected to be needed just to replace the 12 lighted decorations on Delaware St. 

               For those that don’t want to donate online, you can send a check or money order to Walton Chamber of Commerce, and in the memo space on your check, write “Holiday Lights”. Please send to Walton Chamber of Commerce, c/o Debra Valentine, 169 Prospect Ave, Walton, NY 13856.

               Several businesses have expressed an interest in helping, and we would like to propose sponsoring a pole light with a donation of $500 to sponsor one light, or $250 to sponsor with another business. There will be a fundraising barometer in the Chamber message board near McDonald’s so everyone can see how it is progressing, and contributors will be acknowledged on social media on the Walton Chamber Facebook page. Every donation will help us be able to reach our goal, so thank you in advance for your consideration.

               If you have any questions, or need more information, please contact Deb Valentine at dzalevalentine@yahoo.com, Patty Wood at pwood2@frontier.com, Tara Vitti at tara@waltonchamber.com , or Beth O’Brien at bethobrien@howardhanna,com.