Help Community Effort to Light Up More of Wilton Center

Wilton Center sparkles over the holiday season thanks to the giant lighted snowflakes that adorn 54 of the town’s lampposts. Next year, members of the Making Wilton Beautiful initiative and the Wilton Garden Club hope to make the town shine even brighter.

They are launching a fundraising campaign to raise $8,400 to purchase an additional 24 snowflakes. This will enable them to extend the holiday light display all the way down River Rd. to Horseshoe Pond. Currently, only the lampposts along Old Ridgefield Rd., Center St. and a portion of River Rd. are illuminated.

“Festively decorated town squares add a joyous feel and holiday cheer to the center of town. It encourages people to get out of the house and stroll the streets. It’s healthy and peaceful, which is particularly welcome during troubling times, and promotes a robust dining and shopping environment for the town’s merchants,” campaign co-chair Suzanne Knutson said.

The idea for more lights sprang from the community.

“This past holiday season we heard from a lot of people urging us to extend the snowflakes all the way down River Road,” Knutson explained. “We’d love to do that, but the snowflakes are expensive. Each one costs about $350. We figured we’d appeal to the community and see how much money we can raise. That’ll determine how many snowflakes we can buy. The supplier is having a sale right now, so there’s a sense of urgency to get this done immediately. Raising $8,400 is an ambitious goal, but the snowflakes are a long-term investment in the town’s beautification.”

Contributions and donations of all sizes would be appreciated in order to complete the project, Knutson said. “Every donation, large or small makes a positive difference in enhancing the beauty and festiveness of our town,” she said.

To make a donation, visit the Wilton Garden Club’s website and click on the link for “Making Wilton Beautiful.” Checks made payable to “Wilton Garden Club” may also be mailed to Wilton Garden Club, P.O. Box 121, Wilton, CT 06897. All contributions are tax deductible and will be acknowledged.