DREW – With COVID-19 putting a halt on plans for their 2020 Christmas concert, members of this small rural community are planning to celebrate the season with a Light Up Drew Night.
Once a popular local tradition, the annual Drew Christmas Concert was revived four years ago after about a 20-year absence from the local social scene.
Drew Community Association president Nicole Hymers told the Community News volunteers took up the task of bringing back the concert due to popular local demand.
“We gathered the local children for an hour rehearsal and went through everything from poems, songs, dancing, acting, music and skits,” she recalls.
A week later, after putting together some homemade costumes, the group hosted the a concert, drawing about 40 spectators.
“As the years went on, we would host approximately 80 local neighbours, family and friends who would come out for a night filled with laughter, joy, song and dance,” said Hymers.
“The kids would amaze me every year how they would put on a great performance with just one practice! It quickly became my favorite part of Christmas; the community coming together to spread Christmas cheer.”
With no concert possible this year due to the ongoing pandemic, the group was disappointed not only to miss the opportunity for a communal Christmas experience, but the loss of the many food bank donations concert-goers would bring.
“With everything else being cancelled – parades, tree lighting ceremonies, etc. – the food bank might suffer this year, when people may need it the most,” Hymers observed.
“So again we put on thinking caps,” she explained, and the result was Light Up Drew Night.
Everyone welcome
A small group of volunteers hung lights around the Drew hall, pavilion and ball diamond. On Dec. 5 they are hosting a drive thru food bank drive, with lights on “to brighten everyone’s Christmas.”
Drew area residents have been sent written invitations, but Hymers notes all are welcome.
Volunteers also made paper invites to drop in mail boxes
Starting at 7pm, the lights will be turned on, Santa will be on hand to offer a physically-distanced Merry Christmas and a truck will be standing by for food donation collection.
Subsequently, the lights will be on every night until Christmas from 7 to 11pm.
“This is our way to say Merry Christmas, and hopefully brighten the season – a season that may not look the same as years before,” states Hymers.
