By David Fleet
Editor
Al Hatch is on a mission not to be outdone.
Atlas Township resident and Back-to-the-Bricks founder Hatch is spearheading for a second year an effort to light up area communities through the Genesee County Festival of Lights competition.
Kickoff for the competition Atlas Township and Goodrich residents will be at 5 p.m., Dec. 5 for the Downtown Christmas in the Village.
‘We are encouraging businesses and residents to decorate for Christmas,? said Hatch who joins City of Mt. Morris Mayor, Daniel Lavelle in coordinating the lights competition. The idea is in a few years people will drive around Genesee County and visit some of the communities and hopefully develop some traffic during the holidays. That should spark some commerce to towns within the county.?
Hatch, along with a panel of judges, will drive through the communities the third week of December and determine a winner.
At stake is the ‘Christmas Tree Cup,? awarded to the best decorated community. The 2012 winner was the Village of Otisville.
‘The intent is to get the Genesee County communities out to decorate store fronts, parks and residences,? he said. ‘Take a look at the City of Rochester? that brings folks to the business distinct. Obviously they (Rochester) decorates on a grand scale but we can do a lot. You don’t have to spend thousands. The lights draw people into the communities and that means more business and that’s not just for one weekend either. It’s the holiday season.?
As of Nov. 25 a total of 12 Genesee County communities have agreed to participate in the Festival of Lights competition.
For more information, contact Shirley Kautman-Jones, Atlas Township supervisor,. 810-636-2548.