Facebook challenge started to cover Jolly Holiday Lights losses due to flooding
ANNE CAROTHERS Dec 15, 2015 | 5:16 pm
1 min read time
260 wordsAll Latest News, Arts and Culture, Health and Wellness
A power outage and flooding, which shut down the Jolly Holiday Lights tour for the rest of the season, created losses of more than $200,000 for its sponsoring charity and has prompted a Facebook challenge campaign.
Jamie Rasko, marketing and communications manager for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Iowa, which has budgeted to grant the wishes of 192 Iowa children who face serious illnesses, said losses are estimated at more than $200,000, or about 20 children’s wishes.The organization’s total annual budget is about $3.5 million.
The display of holiday lights scenes, some of which are animated, is set up throughout Water Works Park annually and is the organization’s largest fundraiser. Last weekend, a power outage on Saturday night and flooding beginning on Sunday damaged some of the organization’s equipment and forced the organization to shut down the fundraiser with 20 of its most lucrative days ahead.
Make-A-Wish leaders hope that people and corporations will consider donations to make up the losses, said Rasko. That’s already happening, she said.
“People are reacting as you would expect Central Iowans to react,” she said. “I’m really overwhelmed with all the kindness.”
Rasko said Wells Fargo & Co. has pledged $24,000, and the chief executives for Des Moines’ three major medical systems have issue challenges on Facebook using the hashtag #bringthejolly. The challenges mirror the ALS water bucket challenge in 2014.
Donations made through the Make-A-Wish Iowa website by clicking the blue Donate budget go entirely to finance wishes, Rasko said.
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