Night of Hope Brings Glow to Sidney

Survivors, and those celebrating them , gathered on the sidewalk of Legion Park's pond Friday, August 9th for Sidney's annual Night of Hope walk for the cure. Surrounding those survivors were luminaries, serving as physical reminders for those we have lost. A night coupled with tears of joy and remembrance, Night of Hope serves as a yearly reminder of the great unspoken battles fought day after day.

Beginning the night was the survivor lap, a visual reminder of the precious time that we celebrate. As survivors walked around the pond, applause could be heard coming from the crowd. Holding tightly to the light purple balloons they were carrying, each survivor found their place on the bridge marked with the lighted word HOPE. As a countdown began, the final number ushered in a balloon release, as if sending wishes and prayers to the sky.

As festivities kicked off for the evening, a silent auction took place, complimented by a live auction of donations from multitudes of business and private donors, along with a new contribution, original artwork donated by the Sidney Creative District, created by local talent. The money generated from these donations will contribute to cancer research.

Perhaps the most beautiful part of Night of Hope was watching the warm embraces and listening to the stories exchanged between neighbors and friends. It is a warm and compassionate community heartbeat that allows Sidney to glow.

At the time of printing, the final numbers for donations raised had not yet been provided to the Sun-Telegraph by Night of Hope staff.

Author Bio

Kelsey Arrington, Staff Reporter

Cheyenne County native, local business owner.