Community pride with a few Christmas lights

Atlas Township resident and Back-to-the-Bricks founder Al Hatch is spearheading an effort to light up area communities through the Genesee County Festival of Lights competition.
‘We are encouraging businesses and residents to decorate for Christmas,? said Hatch, who will present the competition to the Goodrich Village Council at 7 p.m., Monday.
‘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.
A trophy labled the ‘Christmas Tree Cup,? will be awarded to the best decorated community, added Hatch. The trophy will be passed around each year following the contest.
As of Dec. 5 the Genesee County communities of Burton, Linden, Mt. Morris and Swartz Creek have agreed to participate in the Festival of Lights competition..
‘There are Christmas lights that are inexpensive,? he said.
‘We’re hoping Goodrich and Atlas Township are going to join in the competition and gain the bragging rights as the best lighted town in the county at Christmas time.?
For more information contact Shirley Kautman-Jones, Atlas Township supervisor,. 810-636-2548.