Hope Glows

BYS, in partnership with the Bainbridge Island Downtown Association and the Bainbridge Island Chamber of Commerce, invites the whole community to join in this special and uplifting evening.  Winslow Way will be closed the evening of Friday, February 11, for Hope Glows, a community luminaria walk focusing on mental health and connection with each other. Thanks to the event sponsor, Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, the event is free to the public. This will be a completely outdoor event and masks are encouraged.

Create a luminaria!

Everyone of all ages is invited to join in this community event by decorating a bag with messages of hope that will become a luminaria when lit with a candle. Bags can be picked up from the front porch of BYS (8533 Madison Ave N, across from the Aquatic Center).

Here are a few prompts to help you decorate your bag.

Right now I am thankful for…
​If you are struggling, what do you want a loved one to know?
​What would you say to a loved one who is struggling?
Use your favorite form of expression to illustrate what hope looks like for you.

​Please turn your decorated bags into the bin on the front porch at Bainbridge Youth Services by Monday, Feb 7.

While we find ourselves, nearly two years after it began, still in the midst of a global pandemic and, of course, the darkness of winter, BYS is inviting the local community to come together to celebrate connection and light. “It is clear that our community and, especially, our youth are stressed after living with Covid for nearly two years. We see Hope Glows as an opportunity to focus on the importance of taking care of our mental health, the need to let others know they don’t need to be alone in their struggles, and that connection with others is vital to a positive outlook, as is hope. Hope can be a good barometer of one’s mental health as it is about your goals and dreams for your future,” said Courtney Oliver, BYS Executive Director.