Lights of Love event Dec. 3 at courthouse

It's time to get into the holiday spirit as the Greencastle Civic League is set for the annual "Lights of Love" ceremony.

The event will take place at 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 3 at the Putnam County Courthouse.

The Greencastle High School Classics choir will perform during the ceremony. Community members are encouraged to attend and purchase a light in honor of or in memory of a loved one.

All names will be read during a candlelight vigil and luminaries will be lit for each individual.

Santa will light the tree after the names are read. All proceeds from the sale of the lights will be used to help purchase new street lights for the square in Greencastle. Community members can buy one light for $3.50 or two for $5.

Local students will be reading and displaying their winning entries during the ceremony. A "Decorate the Light" contest took place for students in kindergarten, first and second grades, and the winners included Ayaka Shoda (first), Megan Matthews (second), and Trace Thomas (honorable mention).

Students in grades 3-5 participated in an essay contest and the theme was "What do the holidays mean to you?"

First place went to Cade Bailey while second was awarded to Bailey York. Alexander Jefferson earned honorable mention.

Middle school students wrote an essay on the theme "What are you the most grateful for?" First place went to Melanie Bittles while second place was awarded to Jacob Capps. Honorable Mention was awarded to Karly Bumgardner.

All entries will be posted inside the courthouse the day of the ceremony for families to view and then students will be able to take them home. All essay winners will be reading their entries during the ceremony.

Almost Home, Anthony's New York Style Pizzeria, Bright Futures and Treasures on the Square will be open after the ceremony so that community members can have dinner. Almost Home is donating 20 percent of its proceeds to the Civic League to help with the streetlight project.

In addition, the Putnam Inn will give patrons a 10 percent discount if they bring in the program from the Lights of Love ceremony.

To buy a light in advance of the ceremony, call Civic League President Erin Confer-Staggers at 655-2254.