Crystal River Outfitters hosts Strolling Lights Festival
From staff reports
The Crystal River Outfitters Recreational District is excited to kick off the holiday season in Glen Arbor with another fun, family-friendly Strolling Lights Festival. This event is a great way for families, friends, teams, businesses and organizations to express their festivity, all while supporting a great cause. Whether highlighting your favorite thing to do in Michigan, representing a family tradition, or supporting a cause, each Strolling Lights tree is a blank slate ready to be decorated.
This year, the cause is another one that is near and dear to hearts in the Recreational District. For three wonderful summers, “Nick B.” as we like to call him, was a fixture in the Recreational District. He could be seen helping people get on bikes, driving a Crystal River Outfitters van, striking up a conversation with a customer or fellow teammate or playing his Ukulele. He did this all with a straw hat and a smile. Unfortunately, just before the 2024 season, Nick passed away. He left a huge void. When he wasn’t working at CRO, Nick B. was working at Glen Lake Schools in the music department and band. His love of music could be seen throughout the school.
What we didn’t know until after his passing was that Nick had purchased instruments for students that couldn’t afford them. This would become his legacy. The Nicholas Wiesen Bentzien Musicianship Fund was thus created and the money raised will go towards helping students who love music but may not have the money to purchase a much desired instrument or attend a music camp.
Families, groups or individuals are invited to sponsor a tree to decorate this holiday season for CRO’s fourth annual Strolling Lights Festival. The proceeds from this year’s festival will go to the Nicholas Wiesen Bentzien Musicianship Fund.
To sponsor a tree the cost is $150.
Pre-lit trees will be placed around The District By Nov. 18. Sponsoring groups and families must provide the decorations and have until Nov. 27 to decorate it. After that, trees will be on display for the public to admire through the new year.
If you would just like to just make a monetary donation to go directly to the fund, you may donate to the “District Giving Tree” and an ornament will be placed on the tree in your name.
To sponsor a tree or just make a donation, visit CrystalRiverOutfitters.com and click on Strolling Lights Festival.
