By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current

Luminaries will light up the walks for the 2023 Geneseo Christmas Walk on Saturday, Dec. 9.

Memorial luminaries will be included in Geneseo’s Luminary Display at City Park and those will raise funds to benefit Rebuilding Together Henry County.

Zack Sullivan, executive director of the Geneseo Chamber of Commerce, sponsors of the annual Walk, explained, “For a $5 donation, a person can write the name of a loved one or loved ones who are no longer with us, or write a memorial message on a luminary bag. Our volunteers will then fill the bag with sand and light the candle during the Christmas Walk event.”

Anyone interested can sign up for a memorial luminary by visiting the Geneseo Chamber office, located in Geneseo City Hall, or by email at geneseo@geneseo.org, or by calling 309-944-2686. Memorial luminary requests will be accepted until Friday, Dec. 8.

The Geneseo Art League is sponsoring this year’s luminaries.

The rain date for the luminary display is Saturday, Dec. 16.

Memorial luminaries will be marked in the City Park with signage, and will be placed in alphabetical order and Sullivan added, ”We hope this can become a new tradition for the event, as it is a unique way to remember loved ones who are no longer with us at Christmastime.”

“Luminaries are a symbol of remembrance,” he said. “In planning this year's event, we thought it would be proper to dedicate the luminary display to those who we have lost over the years. Christmastime is a time of reflection, and I often think of Christmas memories made with loved ones and friends who have since passed. It is our hope that people will welcome this opportunity to honor loved ones during Christmastime in Geneseo.”