The luminaria are made with white paper bags, sand and small candles that are anchored by the sand in each bag.
Just in time for the holidays, an event is being planned that will make neighborhoods sparkle while benefiting families in need who are served by a worthy local organization.
Luminaria Night has been a major holiday fundraiser for Bethlehem’s New Bethany Ministries for a number of years, but this year it is expanding throughout more of Hellertown borough and Lower Saucon Township thanks to the efforts of block captain Mylissa Battoni, a realtor and Army veteran who lives in the township.
“This is an opportunity for us as neighbors and a community to work together and make something beautiful,” said Battoni in a Hellertown, Pennsylvania group post about Luminaria Night, which is being held on Saturday, Dec. 11 from 5 to 7 p.m.
Neighborhoods from throughout the Lehigh Valley will be participating with organizational assistance from block captains like Battoni, who has created a website from which participants may order the Luminaria kits from New Bethany Ministries.
Each kit includes 10 white paper bags and 10 tea light candles and is $10, with proceeds benefiting New Bethany. Kits are available with or without the sand that is placed at the bottom of each bag and used to stabilize the candles. The luminaria are placed along a curb or along the edge of a sidewalk in front of homes to create a festive, flickering scene.
Kit orders are due to Battoni no later than Sunday, Nov. 28.
Battoni will pick up all of the Luminaria Kit orders and set up a date, time and local place from which to distribute them to participants before Luminaria Night.
“To make it easier, please check with neighbors and friends and try to group together orders; especially those neighbors and friends who do not have Facebook,” she suggested.
New Bethany Ministries provides meals, financial services and housing to poor, hungry, homeless and mentally ill individuals and families in the Lehigh Valley.
Battoni said she will also be posting flyers about the event throughout the Saucon Valley.
Anyone with questions or suggestions can contact her at my*******@gm***.com.
Mylissa Battoni has created a flyer to help promote Saucon Valley Luminaria Night, which will be held Saturday, Dec. 11 and will benefit Bethlehem-based New Bethany Ministries, which provides services to local individuals and families in need.
