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  • Bud Andrus, President of the Chickasha Chamber of Commerce, and Frank Farmer, Vice President of Chickasha Bank & Trust Company, present a check on behalf of the FHLBank Topeka to Festival of Light President, Marcy Langle. Farmer and Andrus worked tirelessly to secure the funding for Chickasha's annual Festival of Light. Chickasha Bank and Trust Co., Festival of Light

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July 7, 2012

Festival of Light awarded $25,000 grant

Chickasha Bank and Trust helps secure JOBS project grant for organization

Chickasha Bank & Trust Company was recently notified that through the efforts spearheaded by Frank Farmer, Chickasha Bank loan officer, and assisted by Bud Andrus, Chickasha Chamber of Commerce President, the Chickasha Festival of Light (FOL) would be awarded a $25,000 grant through the Federal Home Loan Bank’s (FHLBank) JOBS project.  Joint Opportunities for Building Success (JOBS) funding, is an economic development initiative that assists FHLBank members in promoting employment growth in their communities.

Lindel Pettigrew, President/CEO of Chickasha Bank & Trust Company, is a former member of the FHLBank Board of Directors and recommended that Farmer pursue this grant as a means of assisting the FOL.  The viability and sustainability of the Chickasha Festival of Light is made possible by the economic benefits resulting from job creation/retention and spending.  FOL guests are spending money throughout the Chickasha area in local restaurants, gas stations/convenience stores, and retail stores, thus adding to the City and County tax base.  

The Festival of Light organization spends over $100,000.00 with locally owned small businesses for installation and maintenance and has invested over $250,000.00 in Shannon Springs Park upgrades since 1993.

The festival experienced devastating physical damage due to the ice storms over the past few years.  This damage, while physical in nature, is expensive to repair but also expensive in terms of lost revenues.  During the 2010 season, the popular tourist attraction had to be closed for over a week of its mere 42-day season as the ice had wreaked havoc on so many of the displays.

Currently, structural damage has been discovered on the 172 foot, 16-story Christmas tree that graces the entrance into the lighted wonderland.  The mechanical restoration is estimated at $50,000-$60,000 with replacement lights throughout the entire 43 acre park estimated to cost $25,000.

Farmer and Andrus spent many, many hours working on the application, but Farmer said, “I enjoy being a part of this wonderful community and was glad to contribute so that this great place that I call home can become even better.

Andrus noted that people wishing to make tax-deductible contributions to this 501(c)(3) organization may contact the FOL office at 224-9627.  Checks made payable to the Festival of Light may be mailed to P.O. Box 2381, Chickasha, Oklahoma 73023. Inquiries about volunteer opportunities can be made at the FOL office as well.  

FHLBank Topeka is one of 12 wholesale banks nationwide that provide liquidity and various programs that help community financial institutions meet the residential housing finance and economic development needs of their communities.  FHLBank Topeka serves nearly 830 financial institution members in its district of Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska and Oklahoma.

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