Posted by Samuel Azinger on Feb 14, 2021
 
The Sunrise Club's Environmental Sustainability Team has organized a Candlelight Walk-in-the-Woods for Saturday, February 20 from 5PM to 9PM through the Pukaite Woods at Rotary Park. Ice luminaria will be set along all the trails which will be lit with candles to make the walk just a little more magical in the dark of night. The trails are groomed and fire pits and hot beverages will be ready to go for what should be a magical event.
 
To keep everyone spread out, registration is requested at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70a0c48acad2ea6fb6-candlelight.
 
They are also looking for volunteers if members of the Noon Club are interested. If you're interested in helping set up from 10AM-Noon or from 4PM-5PM, or if you'd like to prepare and serve hot beverages, contact Connie "the Woods" Pukaite. Her email will not be published, but email Sam if you'd like to connect with her. If you'd like to make some ice luminarias, here's how:
 
HOW TO MAKE ICE CANDLES:
  1. Fill a bucket with water to about 2 inches from the top  (easiest to handle a 3-gallon bucket, though 5 gallon buckets will work ... just heavier to move around)                                                                                   
  2. Set bucket outside, preferably north side of house out of the sunlight and elevated ... up on a trailer, lawn chair or table.  If you leave it on the ground, it may freeze solid on the bottom, which you don't want.   
  3. Leave it for about 20 hours to freeze … but watch so it doesn’t freeze solid
After 20 hours, bring it into a warm space for about 10 minutes so it will melt a bit around the inside of the bucket, then tip it upside down to get the luminary out ... do that outside, because there should be a liquid 'bowl' on the bottom of the frozen bucket, which will now become the top of the ice candle.  You will pour off the water, and that bowl will be the receptacle for the candle.
 
A problem some had making luminaria last week is an earlier instruction was to leave the bucket out for only 12 or so hours, and that was not enough.