Festival of Light at:
405-224-9627
Festival of Light™
P.O. Box 2381
Chickasha, OK 73023-2381
Festival of Light Community Meeting, held June 15th, 2010
Chickasha Festival of Light hosted a community meeting on June 15, 2010 at the Chickasha Activity Center Auditorium to discuss the future of the Festival of Light, which has sustained significant losses over the last few years.
We need to hear from the community before we continue with this grand festival. Chickasha’s Festival of Light has completed 18 seasons and averages over 250,000 visitors each year from Thanksgiving through New Year’s Eve.
Over the years, FOL has been awarded numerous awards and recently received the Governor’s Red Bud Tourism award for the best tourism website in Oklahoma in 2008 and the Outstanding Outdoor Activity by Frontier Country Tourism in 2009 as well as listed as the 2nd best Christmas Light show in the nation in 2009 on MSN.com. The estimated value via figures from the Oklahoma Department of Tourism is around one million dollars in tourism revenue.
BECOME A FOL SPONSOR - PRINT DONATION FORM HERE
BECOME A FOL VOLUNTEER - PRINT VOLUNTEER FORM HERE
WHAT HAVE WE ACCOMPLISHED SINCE 2007
With YOUR HELP, we continue to hang over 2,500,000 lights in the park (this does not include the trees which are hung by contractors/employees).
• decorate over 220 trees and outline over 4 miles of walk-ways, walls, and buildings
•new lights and cords on the big tree every year due to ice damage
• New LED lighting on: entrance arch, animated light show, multiple-displays, and scheduled for the bridge and bathhouse in 2010
• Purchased Animated light show: great first two years but unable to get working due to vandalism in 2009
• Purchase of new equipment to safely install the bridge lighting under OSHA standards
• Purchase of new ladders and harnesses that meet OSHA standards
• Purchase of top quality Sound System that can be heard over five miles
• Purchase of lighting system for Opening Night
• Repair of Power Panels: both interior and exterior components
• Purchase of new signs for highways and city use (directional and Do Not Block Drive)
• Design and Maintenance of new website
• Remodeled Bathhouse in 2008 with new paint, carpet, and wood molding to help protect the wall integrity during rentals from City
• Renovated all gift shop furniture with repair and new paint
• Repaired four years worth of “old” lighting
• Purchase over $25,000.00 worth of new lighting: for bridge, trees, and springhouse
• Built new guard houses in 2009
• Purchase/replace over 500 extension cords due to damage and theft
• Paid ALL past debt owed to local vendors for debts that were accrued since 2003 other than 2009 Loan from Arvest Bank
•Purchase of new radio system
• Listed as Number 2 in Nation on MSN.com for best light show, 2008 Governor’s Red Bud award for Best Tourism website, 2009 Outstanding Outdoor Activity for Frontier Country Tourism Association
We instituted a new volunteer method that successfully generated over 1000 volunteers to install the lights, work the gates, work the gift shop, and help with upkeep of the park. We have over 100 displays in the park which are installed and maintained through partnership with Funlight Creations, Big John’s Lawncare, The Sunday Afternoon Light Team and our local company sponsors.
WHAT WE HAVE FACED
• Significant debt (over $40,000.00 and neglect of proper upkeep of equipment and supply)• Flood of warehouse and loss of inventory and damage of equipment in August 2007
• Ice Storm of the Century in December 2007 which caused loss of all lighting at end of season and loss of hundreds of extension cords and loss of “income” due to closure for 8 days.
• Ice Storm, Snow, and Cold temps in 2008 caused FOL to close for 2 days and the carriages didn’t run for 9 days.
• Snow Storm in 2009 caused FOL to close December 23-28 and small to non-existent crowds on the 29-31st due to long extent of closure and after holidays. Equipment didn’t suffer much damage from snow.
• Ice Storm in February 2010 caused loss of ALL lighting left in park which encompassed all lighting in trees and Big Tree lighting.
•Increased Vandalism in parks causing significant damage to lighting in trees, walk-ways, and displays plus the incapacitation of our $30,000.00 light show
When we are closed, we lose donation income and vendor income. In last three years, we have been closed 20 days which almost equals an entire season!
WHO ARE OUR LOCAL FINANCIAL SPONSORS?
•Title Sponsors and Park Handout Ads/Light Show Ads/Website Ads($1000.00 per year or more in cash or in-kind supplies) : Pioneer Rental, Chickasha Lumber Company, Chickasha Economic Development Council, City of Chickasha, USAO, Grady Memorial Hospital/5 Oaks Medical Center, Wal-Mart, Southern Plains Medical Center, First National Bank & Trust Company, Chicken Express, SNB Bank of Oklahoma, Green Bay Packing Co., Big John’s Lawn Care
•Park Handout Ad Sponsors (for $500.00): Eduardo’s, A & E Grill, Best Western Hotel, Holiday Inn Express, Braum’s, Lifeline Home Health, IBC Bank, AT&T
•Park Handout Ad Sponsors for ($275): McDonalds, Arvest Bank, Ken’s Steaks and Ribs, Canadian Valley Technology Center, Chickasha Bank & Trust Co., Paw-Paws Hamburgers, Kentucky Fried Chicken
•In-Kind Sponsors for PR: Kool 105.5, Foxy 92, Chamber of Commerce
•Sponsors for Food for Volunteers: A & E Grill, Eduardo’s, Ken’s Steaks and Ribs, Paw-Paws Hamburgers, Wal-Mart
SPONSORSHIP LEVELS:
Platinum Sponsor: $5000.00
Gold Sponsor: $1000.00
Silver Sponsor: $500.00
Bronze Sponsor: $100.00
Friends of the Festival: $25.00
All DONATIONS are TAX-DEDUCTIBLE as we are a non-profit 501(c) 3 organization. Mail to: FOL, P.O. Box 2381, Chickasha, OK 73023 or deliver to 221 Chickasha Ave., Chickasha, OK 73018.
Festival of Light Upcoming Expenses:
| UPCOMING EXPENSES FOR 2010 FESTIVAL OF LIGHT FOR JUNE-NOV | Expenses that can wait til Dec | Must Have to operate before opening | |
| CHAMBER OF COMMERCE CONTRACT(Director Salary, Fax, Internet, Copies, Postage, Ofc Telephone) | $ 5,100.00 | ||
| LIGHT REPAIR | $ 1,200.00 | ||
| PARK LEASE PAYMENT FOR 2009 | |||
| UTILITIES FOR 2009 | $ 1,000.00 | ||
| WAREHOUSE RENT | $ 1,250.00 | ||
| INSURANCE: PROPERTY (1000.00), E&O(800.00-pd 600), WORKER'S COMP(1200.00-pd) GL (3500.00) | $ 3,500.00 | $ 1,200.00 | |
| MISC. INSTALL EXPENSES | $ 1,500.00 | ||
| OPERATING EXPENSES: website (200), Visa (100), Volunteers (600), Opening Night (1000) | $ 1,900.00 | ||
| LABOR (Park Supervisor and Assistant) | $ 3,000.00 | $ 3,000.00 | |
| Labor (Trees) | $ 3,500.00 | ||
| Accounts Payable: ARVEST BANK LOAN | $ 20,000.00 | ||
| Accounts Payable: ARVEST BANK LOAN INTEREST | $ 750.00 | ||
| Accounts Payable for Chamber Contract for Dec 09-May 2010 | $ 1,710.75 | ||
| Accounts Payable for Chamber Contract for 2010 OK Travel Guide Advertising | $ 2,160.00 | ||
| Accounts Payable for 2010 Light Purchase | $ 5,285.25 | ||
| Accounts Payable for FCMA 2011 Marketing Package | $ 1,825.00 | ||
| Accounts Payable for Certified Folder Distribution for 2010 | $ 1,000.00 | ||
| $ 38,295.75 | $ 20,585.25 | ||
| Total Expense to begin FOL without debt | $ 58,881.00 | ||
| Balance in Account as of 6/8/2010 | $ 9,141.30 |