Each year, Paducah Power System sponsors a magnificent display of Christmas lights in Paducah’s Noble Park. Christmas in the Park began in 1997 with Christmas lights donated by JF “Doc” Hicks and Jimmy Kinsey. Both men had displays at their homes for many years. Over the years, PPS has purchased many new displays and added several from corporate sponsors, and now, a half million twinkling bulbs illuminate the park between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day each holiday season. Thousands of people visit the event, making it a holiday favorite for people of all ages. In 2015, Paducah Sun readers voted it their favorite community holiday tradition.
During Christmas in the Park, PPS employees and community volunteers man the Santa House at the park, collecting donations of money and nonperishable food for area helping agencies. To date, Christmas in the Park has generated $534.644and 679,855 pounds of food for local food pantries. In 2014, the event raised 74,235 pounds of food and $40,043. All donations from Christmas in the Park activities go to Paducah Cooperative Ministry, Family Service Society, the Salvation Army and St. Vincent DePaul Society.
In recent years, a significant portion of the proceeds have come from the annual Stuff the Truck drive involving Lourdes and Baptist Health Paducah and the School Challenge. During Stuff the Truck, employees at both hospitals and the general public work for two days to stuff a semi trailer full of canned and dry goods. This year’s Stuff the Truck event will take place December 15th at Lourdes Medical Pavilion and December 16th at Baptist Health Imaging Center. The hours are 7 am until 6 pm both days. Businesses, clubs and churches are invited to Adopt a Canned Good from a list provided by PPS and to collect as much of that one item as possible between now and Stuff the Truck. PPS will pick up those items during the Stuff the Truck event. If you are interested in adopting a canned good, please contact Andrea Underwood at 270-575-4025.During the School Challenge, schools in Paducah/McCracken County compete against each other by collecting canned goods. The school that collects the most pounds of food per student wins $1,000. Both events typically generate more than 35,000 pounds of food.
The 2014 School Challenge winners were: Champion/Schools with 500 or more students-Concord Elementary, Champion/Schools with 499 or fewer students-Community Christian Academy Middle/High School and Best Canned Good Sculpture Winner-Concord Elementary.
Reservations to work at the Santa House at the park are taken each year, starting on the Tuesday after Labor Day. The nights for this year’s Christmas in the Park are fully booked, except for Christmas Eve. If your group is interested in working Christmas Eve, please contact Cindy James at 270-575-4000.Other activities at this year’s Christmas in the Park include a lighted artwork created by the Paducah School of Art and Design and sculptor in residence Cody Arnall and carriage rides by reservation by John’s Pass Carriage Company. Carriage rides may be booked by calling 618-410-6996
Information provided by Paducah Power System.
