SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. — Downtown Summerside is about to get a little more Insta-worthy.
The Prince County Hospital Foundation (PCHF) is expanding its popular Lights for Life fundraiser, installing 30 new Christmas displays along the waterfront from Dec. 2 to 31.
The light features are being installed along the boardwalk from the Shipyard Market building, on Water Street, to Green’s Shore. They will automatically activate at dusk daily.
The PCHF is partnering with Downtown Summerside for this project. The organizations connected because the former has no room to expand its usual Lights for Life displays at the Prince County Hospital and the latter is looking for ways to beautify the downtown.
Heather Matheson, managing director of the PCHF, said the event will help the community support the Island’s second-largest hospital while also bringing something new and exciting for families downtown.
“For us and the hospital, in a year of such uncertainty, it was nice to be able to grow this already wonderful event that we already have,” said Matheson.
Angie Arsenault, executive director of Downtown Summerside Inc., said her organization is hoping to build onto the great event that PCHF has been doing for a long time.
“I’m really excited. What I like the most about it is that it’s serving a purpose. The money going to our hospital that everyone uses,” said Arsenault.
Lights for Life is also instituting some changes to its traditional event at the Prince County Hospital, because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The campaign’s fundraising efforts have usually culminated in a popular one-night-only lighting ceremony. Large crowds traditionally gather at the hospital for the event.
However, this year the hospital displays will be drive-by only and will stretch from Dec. 2 to 31. The displays will activate nightly at 5:30 p.m. and twice each night, at 7 and 8 p.m. viewers can tune their car radios to 98.5 FM and enjoy Christmas music synchronized with the lights.
The PCH Foundation has been working to raise $1.589 million to fund such items as cardiac monitors, birthing beds, a blood count analyzer and other equipment.
Donations to the Lights for Life campaign are accepted by the PCHF until Dec. 31, though the deadline for inclusion of names in the memorial book has passed. Donations can be made in person at the foundation office at the hospital, by calling (902)-432-2547 or online at pchcare.com.
Colin MacLean is the municipal reporter for the Journal Pioneer.
