Luminary Walk a Success

Ingredients for a great night on the General Dacey Trail:  2.5 miles of paths aligned with the glow of luminaries, 3 Inches of Snow, 1 Full Moon, and much more. . .

There is something special about the warm glow of a candle.  Many of us have been to a candlelight Christmas Eve service, where the beautiful light created by just one match, lights the entire room.  Others of us have attended a candle lighting vigil in a cemetery to honor loved ones, lighting candles set up in front of tombstones to brighten the night.  From a distance, it appears that stars have settled on the ground.

On January 23^rd, I had the privilege of walking by the light of the moon on the General Dacey Trail.  And while I have been on trails at night with the moon providing enough of its own light to guide the way, I had not been on such a path where luminaires were hung from trees and aligned on the edges of the trail, making me feel as if I was a child in an enchanted forest.  The reflection of the moon on the lake, and the trail even more aglow due to the snow, made this night a great choice to hold this event.

To make the evening even more special, ice ball luminaries lit up the path leading to the bonfire where more artistic frozen designs were magnified by L.E.D. lights.  Hot drinks awaited those wanting to warm themselves by the fire, and there were bales of hay for those desiring to rest their legs and socialize with the many participants.  For those wanting to leave their mark, there was also a 6 foot luminaire in which one could sign their name.

Each of these ingredients made for yet another great experience on the General Dacey Trail. 

A huge thank you to the Shelbyville Area Community Foundation and Mr. Jerry Yockey for organizing this event.  Thanks also to Mr. Bob Newstradt for the artistic luminaries, and to each person that helped out with this successful community event that allowed the trail to be used for such a great activity!

Jenny Biggs