Help us keep Ellinwood lit for Christmas!

We hope you agree, Ellinwood is a proud community. We embrace our German and agricultural heritage and take pride in our excellent school, churches, a rural hospital, and a core of small businesses that contribute to the quality of life we love.

More that 30 years ago, the Ellinwood Chamber of Commerce and the city of Ellinwood purchased and installed decorative Christmas lights to outline the exteriors of 34 buildings lining Main Street and Santa Fe Blvd. Each year, city staff maintain these lights to go along with additional holiday decorations throughout the City. The lights attract visitors to shop in local stores and provide a festive atmosphere to the city. The lights also enhance the annual Christkindlmarket celebration to kick off the Christmas season.

Weather and time have made the lights unsafe to use; they need to be replaced. Purchasing new LED, commercial grade, outdoor Chrhistmas lights and hardware to line our businesses will cost approximately $10,000. As before, the City of Ellinwood has graciously committed to install and maintain the lights once purchased.

In order to make this a consistent, community project, the Chamber is spearheading the effort to purchase the new lights. Moreover, because this is a community project, the Chamber does not believe the purchase of the lights should fall totally on the individual businesses. The Chamber has already started a fundraising campaign through proceeds from this year's After Harvest Festival Community Pancake Feed and a Ladies Day Out event.

Before we begin additional fundraisers, we would like to explore the interest from our Chamber membership, community and those of you that have relocated but may still have ties to Ellinwood. Are you willing to join us on this project?

Contributions are tax deductible, through the Ellinwood Community Foundation. Please consider helping us keep Ellinwood lit up for Christmas!

Sincerely,

The Ellinwood Chamber of Commerce Board