Grant to help Gurnee with Welton Plaza event

CHICAGO – Holiday celebrations are an important way for our communities to build connection and cheer. To support local holiday displays, ComEd and the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus announced grants of up to $2,500 each for 18 northern Illinois communities as part of the annual ComEd Powering the Holidays Program.

One of the grant winners was the village of Gurnee. On Dec. 7, Gurnee will host Holiday Lights at Welton Plaza, an evening filled with holiday spirit, lighting displays and community. To reflect the diversity of the community, a variety of local cultural and community organizations will be performing at the event.

“Festive displays of light are central to the treasured winter traditions of communities across northern Illinois,” said Louie Binswanger, senior vice president of Government, Regulatory and External Affairs at ComEd. “In partnership with the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus, we are proud to power the magic of the season by supporting a variety of holiday lights displays designed to bring our communities together to celebrate their cultural traditions.”

“We are thrilled to once again partner with ComEd on the Powering the Holidays Program,” said Neil James, executive director of the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus. “We are excited to see the variety of light displays. It will be rewarding to see these grants provide communities a sense of unity during the holiday season and help people develop a respect and understanding for different cultures.”

The grant program, established in 2021, celebrates local communities’ identity and culture by supporting holiday programs that promote intercultural exchange and provide a pathway for all members of these communities to gain a sense of belonging. The program also aims to promote sustainability and energy efficiency through the use of LED lighting. With the addition of the 2023 grant recipients, ComEd has awarded 46 communities and organizations a total of $113,000 in grants to power holiday lights events since 2021.

Powering the Holidays is an extension of ComEd’s longtime sponsorship of and support for holiday lights events at Lincoln Park Zoo, Brookfield Zoo, The Morton Arboretum and Chicago Botanic Garden. For more information about Powering the Holidays, visit the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus website.