CHESHIRE — Organizers of Cheshire Lights of Hope say
they will never forget the 2007 home invasion that claimed the lives of Dr.
William Petit's wife and two daughters, but the annual fundraiser has become
more about this town's resiliency.
That could be seen outside
At 4 p.m., the Mile of Hope — 2,000
luminarias lining Route 10 — lit up. At about 5, 50,000 luminaries on 202
streets sparked to life across town.
The event is not here to remind
residents of the tragedy, said Don Walsh, co-organizer.
"We are here to
show the resiliency of
Lights
of Hope began on Jenifer and Don Walsh's street in 2005.
The first year
they lit up
When tragedy struck the Petit family, the
Walshes and neighbors wanted to do something in the family's honor and to bring
the community together, he said.
"It just blew up that first year," Walsh
said.
The townwide event was planned for December 2007, but a snowstorm
delayed it until January 2008. That year, nearly 140,000 luminaries were
lit.
It was meant for healing. On July 23, 2007, two men, Joshua
Komisarjevsky and accomplice Steven Hayes, killed Jennifer Hawke-Petit,
17-year-old Hayley and 11-year-old Michaela inside their suburban home. William
Petit was badly beatened, but survived.
The two men now are on death row
after having been convicted of the murders.
Proceeds went to Hayley's
Hope and Michaela's Miracle Multiple Sclerosis Memorial Fund. Hawke-Petit also
was afflicted with MS.
After the first townwide event, no one wanted to
stop doing this, Walsh said.
The group in 2007 formed a nonprofit
organization, and many following the first event wanted to change the direction
to focus on the town and how to help neighbors, he said.
The
beneficiaries of the proceeds also expanded.
To date, it has given more
than $350,000, Walsh said.
This year, the nonprofit expected to raise
$50,000, he said.
Proceeds this year benefit the Cheshire Community Food
Pantry, Cheshire Youth & Social Services, the Petit Family Foundation and
the Cheshire Lights of Hope Scholarship Fund.
Each organization received
a check for $11,000 at the 2012 Light the Night Rally shortly after 2 p.m. at
the high school. Michael Thomas, a 2012 Cheshire High graduate who is attending
Petit, who has since remarried, accepted the check
for the foundation. He set up the charity in memory of his family. It has raised
money to help people with chronic illness, victims of violence and students who
are heading off to college.
"We are overwhelmed with your generosity and
support," said Petit.
At the rally, a new business,
The nonprofit
created the Cheshire Luminary Award, too. It is given to a person or
organization showing commitment to volunteer work that helps
St.
Bridget's Parish and School was this year's recipient.
Follow Us