Bristol nonprofit to raise funds with online contest

Exchange Club seeking best holiday displays and decorated trees in area

BRISTOL — The Bristol Exchange Club is running an online contest this month to find the most exceptional holiday displays and decorated Christmas trees in the Greater Bristol area.

With in-person fundraising largely impossible during the pandemic, the nonprofit organization created the competition as a way to celebrate the season while bringing in money for its charitable programs.

“During this unprecedented time, it is extremely difficult to raise funds for our many giving programs as you can well imagine,” Jack Ferraro, one of the club’s directors, told members in a message this week.

“With this in mind the club thought that this online holiday photo contest was a great way to have fun, enjoy the season, and at the same time to raise some critically needed funds to keep our organization alive and well,” Ferraro said.

The club provides grants to youth and education programs in the city as well as Plainville and Plymouth. It is best known for sponsoring the annual Mum Festival, the biggest annual celebration in Bristol. The festival and parade date back nearly six decades.

Exchange Club members have been looking for fresh fundraising ideas and came up with the online holiday contest, said Mickey Goldwasser, a member of its board of directors.

“We have looked for additional ways to engage with the community such as recently participating in Bristol’s successful farmer’s market and through creative virtual events such as this one,” he said Friday.

“As we come together to make the best of our circumstances, we are thinking outside of the box when it comes to raising funds to support our community focused efforts,” Ferraro said.

“As we all adjust to a ‘new normal’ we are asking the community for their support to help us solidify the future of our organization and our giving effort,” Ferraro said.

The club gives scholarships to area high school seniors each year, and funds child abuse prevention activities and other community programs. It also sponsors an awards program for area police and firefighters.

The contest will run through Jan. 7 and offers prizes of Amazon gift cards. Winners in the business category will also receive a plaque or certificate to display.

There are four categories: best Christmas tree, best interior holiday display, best outdoor holiday display or lighting, and best business display.

Participants will pay $5 to enter, and the public is asked to pay $1 to vote. Details are at https://tinyurl.com/yxuoxu5v.