by Kristina Gabalski
As dusk settled on the Village of Churchville Wednesday evening, August 12, the glimmer of more than 100 twinkling luminaries began to flicker around the Gazebo and Memorial Park area behind the village hall as part of a “Lighting of the Luminaries” ceremony.
The ceremony was organized by the Churchville-Chili Lions LEO Club as a time of quiet remembrance and reflection to honor or memorialize those whose lives are affected by cancer.
Mayor Nancy Steedman, a cancer survivor herself, explained that the luminaries were originally to be lit during the 2015 Relay for Life at Spencerport High School in June, but the event was cancelled due to threatening weather.
“The Churchville-Chili LEOs Club sold the luminaries to set out that evening,” Steedman said. “But the event was cancelled because there were severe thunderstorms all over the place. We saved the luminaries and the LEOs have set them up here.”
More than $4,000 was raised by the C-C LEOs through the sale of the luminaries to benefit the American Cancer Society.
Marty Molinari, C-C LEO club advisor and 14-year cancer survivor, also spoke during the ceremonies. He encouraged those in attendance to walk among the luminaries – consisting of a white bag decorated with the person’s name, illuminated with a candle inside – to, “remember loved ones lost to cancer and honor those for whom the fight continues.”
