By Alissa Bridges
The Brandon Lions Club, a community service organization that has been in the Brandon area since 1954, is looking to light up the night during the holiday season with its annual Luminaria Project.
According to tradition, the luminaria are lit on a chosen day during the holiday season, usually on Christmas Eve, and are arranged in rows to create beautiful displays. The luminaria are then lit in the hopes of lighting up Santa’s way.
Each year the Brandon Lions puts on the Luminaria Project in order to provide luminaria kits to people and neighborhoods in the greater Brandon area.
The luminaria kits are made of white paper bags that are weighed down with sand and are illuminated by a candle. Each kit contains 15 long votive candles, 15 white bags, two pounds of sand, plastic cups (to put the candle in), matches and instructions.
Each of the kits sells for $6, with volume discounts available for orders of 100 or more kits. Orders of more than 25 kits can also be delivered to your neighborhood. Orders for the luminaria kits are being taken now through Saturday, November 10. Order delivery will take place on Saturday, December 8.
The proceeds from the Luminaria Project will benefit Brandon Lions Charities. Brandon Lions Charities is a 501 (c) 3 organization which supports eyesight programs, Southeastern Guide Dogs, WUSF Radio Reading Service, Greater Tampa Lions Sight Fund and several other local Brandon charities including ECHO, Brandon Outreach and Hillsborough County Schools Visually Impaired Program.
The Brandon Lions Club meets on the first and third Thusday’s of the month at 7 p.m. at 610 Limona Rd. in Brandon. For more information on the Brandon Lions Club or the Luminaria Project, visit www.brandonlions.org.
