KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Every year, groups head out into the Lonsdale community with holiday lights, Christmas trees and festive decorations as part of an annual event meant to brighten up the neighborhood.
Light Up Lonsdale is organized by Thrive, a faith-based nonprofit that works with at-risk youth through a variety of summer and afterschool programs. After gathering together, members of the nonprofit went out into the neighborhood to decorate locations like the Lonsdale Elementary School, the community center and the Sam E. Hill Primary School.
"A couple hours later, you get to have the joy of staring at all the hard work you did and seeing something beautiful," said Clayton Wood, Executive Director of Thrive.
According to Thrive, more than 350 people usually join in the event. Groups are given a supply box that includes tape, command hooks, power strips, extension cords and boxes of lights. However, organizers encouraged participants to bring more supplies with them — as well as a ladder and a speaker to make the night more fun.
"Showing and demonstrating that joy, the happiness that maybe not a lot of us get to experience. And, so being able to share that with some of the students with some tough, difficult backgrounds is so amazing," said Alex Francisco, who attended the event.
Staff members accompany groups to their locations, so they can answer questions and help out with the decorations.
The event started Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. at the Thrive Lonsdale building. There, participants will be given a Guatemalan dinner to enjoy around several fire pits before heading out into the neighborhood. People can also purchase homemade pupusas and tamales from local families during the event.
"We would like this to be the kind of thing where, years from now, people are saying, like, 'I remember growing up that you had to go to Lonsdale to see those Christmas lights," said Wood. "This neighborhood is important. This neighborhood is beautiful. And we're going to have a lot of fun decorating."
On top of organization events like Light Up Lonsdale, Thrive works to connect at-risk youth with adults in a faith-based context. It operates an after-school program, which runs for around three hours daily while school is in session. It also requires daily attendance.
The nonprofit also operates in Parkridge, New Hopewell and Papermill communities. Last year, a pipe burst in the nonprofit's kitchen and severely damaged its flooring, lighting, ceilings and equipment — effectively leaving it unusable.
The area has since been renovated and they are able to serve meals from it again.