Show You Care: Cascade fights 2020 with holiday spirit

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) - Since the 19th Century, the North Fork of the Maquoketa River cuts through the heart of downtown Cascade. It’s served the town as a natural power source.

This year, the town found a new source of power from decorating a local park with Christmas lights and a few inflatable snowmen.

Linda Hoffmann, who helped collect donations for the display, said her friend first up with the idea to decorate Riverview Park. They hoped it would brighten up people’s spirits.

She said Facebook helped the group raise $150, but caught momentum when they put up the first string of lights.

“It snowballed,” she said. “People we’re driving by handing us more money.”

Then, people starting come with more decorations for the park. First someone hung a sign that read “Joy”. Then a Merry Christmas Ornament popped up next to it. Soon people were coming with flower pots. And finally, the park was anew with lights, decorations and more lights.

“It’s just a year where everybody needs to band together, Hoffman said. “This town is really good at, if you come up with the idea they back you will back you up 100%.”

Lisa Breitbach took her two daughters to see the lights. She said the best part is watching her kids run around.

The organizers plan to make this a tradition and grow it each year.

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