Holiday cheer is back at Swan Lake State Park with the return of the Carroll County EMS Association’s Festival of Lights display and fundraiser. The traditional decorations have appeared in the park for more than two decades. Association Vice President Kristen Nehring invites residents to hop in their cars, flip on Christmas tunes, and get into the holiday spirit. Your browser doesn’t support HTML5 audio Your browser doesn’t support HTML5 audio Your browser doesn’t support HTML5 audio Your browser doesn’t support HTML5 audio
At the end of the ride, local EMS personnel collect free-will donations to support the departments throughout Carroll County.
It can cost thousands of dollars for a new first responder to receive the proper certification, and these individuals often work on a volunteer basis. While the Carroll County Ambulance Service consists of full- and part-time staff, most of the surrounding communities respond as needed with limited personnel. Nehring says support from visitors to the Festival of Lights helps keep those agencies viable.
Nehring adds many of the displays in the Festival of Lights are beginning to show their age, and they are actively working to replace the oldest ones.
The Carroll County EMS Association Festival of Lights is available every night from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. now through Christmas. Donations marked for the EMS Association can also be sent to the Carroll County Ambulance Service at 203 E. 3rd Street in Carroll. Volunteers are also working to create a Venmo account for the association.