Southern Village Neighbors,
We are very sorry to inform you that due to the potential fire hazard resulting from the extreme drought, the organizers have decided to cancel the Light-a-Luminary event this year. This has been a difficult decision, but the members of the organizing committee and the block captains all agree that it is the right thing to do.
As you probably know, several communities have issued a ban on luminaries this year, and other communities have placed restrictions on their use. In addition, the State of North Carolina has issued an outdoor burning ban which forbids any flame beyond 100 feet from an occupied dwelling. While we probably could have obtained a permit from the Town of Chapel Hill to light the candles with certain restrictions, we have decided against it. The issue of lighting luminaries has received a lot of media attention during the past two weeks, and several neighbors have been questioning whether we should proceed. As we thought about it, we realized that lighting 7,200 candles during an extreme drought is simply not a good idea.
Thank you for continuing to support this event. We look forward to better luck next year.
Diane Butcher, David McEntee, Lanette Melville