What is Light The Night?
Light The Night is more than just a walk, more than just an event, and more than just a fundraiser. Light The Night is a way for the blood cancer community to come together from coast to coast, to shine a light towards a future without blood cancer.
Light The Night celebrates those we love who are living with a blood cancer, and those we’ve lost to a blood cancer. We come together to raise funds to propel life changing research and fund personal support and services for those in the blood cancer community across Canada.
For more information on how Light The Night makes a difference, please visit https://www.lightthenight.ca/why-participate
Will Light The Night be an in-person walk event this year?
This year, we are excited to announce that our Light The Night events across Canada will be an in person, indoor experience where registered participants will light the night with lanterns. You can register to attend a Signature Light The Night event on Saturday, October 21, 2023 in Montreal, Toronto, Calgary, and Vancouver or on October 24th, 2023 in Halifax or Ottawa.
You can expect moving ceremonies, inspiring activities for the whole family, and a symbolic walk where we will come together to truly Light The Night. You will learn about the impact of your support, pay tribute to your loved ones and participation in the artisans corner and share meaningful tributes for the whole community!
In addition, Community Hosted Light The Night Events will be held in Laval, Belleville, London, Saskatoon, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Regina, and St. John’s.
For details on Community Hosted event locations this year, please visit our Find An Event page.
Will there be a national broadcast or virtual component to Light The Night this year?
Light The Night will be an in person event in several cities across Canada (see previous question for locations). If you are unable to attend a Light The Night in person event, you will have the option to log into a live stream the night of the in person event. Details will be shared closer to the event dates.
What kind of in person events are you hosting this year? What are Signature, Community Hosted and Light The Night My Way events?
This year, there will be three types of Light The Night events: Light The Night Signature Events, Light The Night Community Hosted Events, and Light The Night My Way events.
Light The Night Signature Events are hosted by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada, and will take place in Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Calgary, and Vancouver. These events will feature an indoor experience. Depending on each city’s event venue, experiences such as moving ceremonies, local artisans and inspiring experiences may be featured at these events. Due to the nature of hosting these events in local venues, only registered participants can attend these Signature events in person.
Light The Night Community Hosted Events are similar to our Signature events, but are hosted and managed by teams of volunteers in Laval, Belleville, London, Saskatoon, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Regina, and St. John’s. These communities have come together to host their own events at a time of their own choosing, during autumn of 2023 Similar to the Signature Events, only registered participants can attend these Community Hosted events in person. For details on Community Hosted event locations this year, please visit our Find An Event page.
Light The Night My Way is a new way to celebrate with us, regardless of where you are in the country! This is an excellent option if you are not near any of the Signature or Community Hosted events, and would like to create a team of your own to fundraise and support the blood cancer community. Learn more about Light The Night My Way.
At what time will the event start and when will it end?
All Light The Night events will begin at 6:00pm local time, and will wrap up at approximately 9pm local time. As there are 6 events throughout the country, start and end times may differ slightly. Start and end times are subject to change.
For Community Hosted events, dates and times may differ as these events are organized by volunteers. Please contact your local Community Hosted event if you plan on attending their Light The Night experience.
Light The Night My Way events are completely flexible! You choose when and where to host your fundraising event, however we do suggest hosting it the same weekend or within the same week as our nationwide Light The Night events.
Will the in-person event be indoor or outdoor?
The Signature Light The Night events will be hosted indoors. Registration is mandatory to attend.
Each Community Hosted and Light The Night My Way events will be unique to the organizer’s event plan.
What can I expect at Light The Night 2023 if it is indoors?
Since we will be hosting in person events at indoor facilities this year in 6 cities across Canada, each location may feature slightly different forms of entertainment or community involvement. You can expect moving ceremonies, inspiring activities for the whole family, and a symbolic walk where we will come together to truly Light The Night. You will learn about the impact of your support, pay tribute to your loved ones and participation in the artisans corner and share meaningful tributes for the whole community!
What if there isn’t a Light The Night event in my community/city?
If there isn’t a Signature or Community Hosted event near you, you’ll still be able to participate! This year we are offering Light The Night My Way, an opportunity for anyone to start a team and raise funds for the blood cancer community, regardless of where they are located in Canada!
Visit this page for more information on Light The Night My Way.
Why is there no longer a Light The Night event in my city?
After three years of celebrating Light The Night virtually over the course of the pandemic, the blood cancer community voted in favour of returning to in -person Light The Night events to gather and bring back hope for those affected by blood cancers. This year, we are excited to introduce Light The Night Signature Events in six cities across Canada – in Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Calgary, and Vancouver. There will also be Community Hosted Light The Night events in Laval, Belleville, London, Saskatoon, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Regina, and St. John’s that are organized by local Light The Night teams of participants.
We are limiting Light The Night Signature Events to six cities in order to bring the in person experience to the most number of individuals while also keeping costs down to maximize the funds going to finding cures for all types of blood cancers and improving the quality of life for those affected today.
If there isn’t already a Light The Night in person event in your community, consider doing Light The Night My Way! We have the tools you’ll need to get you started so you can host an unforgettable event in your community.
Who can I bring to the event?
Anyone who is registered for your local Light The Night event can attend the in person experience. Be sure to register everyone, including your children! Registration for your local event is mandatory to be granted access to each Light The Night experience.
Are dogs/pets allowed?
As much as we love pets, pets are not allowed at our Light The Night events due to the indoor component of this year’s Signature and Community Hosted events. However, registered service animals are welcome to attend the event to accompany their owners.
Now that Light The Night is in person again, what type of health and safety measures will you be implementing?
ENTRY PROTOCOL:
LLSC will continue to work with public health authorities to ensure we are meeting or exceeding the latest public health guidance in Canada.
ENHANCED CLEANING & SANITATION
Before each event begins and after each event concludes, our staff will disinfect all high-touch areas within the venue, including seats, handrails, elevator buttons, merchandise stands, restrooms, bars and concessions areas. There will also be enhanced cleaning procedures through the show.
Hand sanitizer dispensers will be located prominently throughout the venue. Each unit will be checked regularly to ensure the units have adequate product.
Disinfectant wipes will be readily available in high-touch areas, including bathrooms, dining, bars and concessions areas throughout the venue.
HEALTH & SAFETY
If you feel sick, stay home. Know the symptoms of COVID-19, which can include the following : fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting and diarrhea.
I see photos of lanterns all across your website. What are the lanterns for?
The lanterns you see across our website and registration pages are symbols of hope. These lanterns are held high in the night sky as we shine a light towards a future without blood cancers. At each Light The Night event, we have 3 colours of lanterns: white lanterns are carried by survivors; red lanterns by supporters; gold lanterns are carried by those walking in memory of loved ones lost to cancer.
At each in person Light The Night event, participants will be eligible for a light-up lantern in the colour of their choice if they have met the minimum $100 raised by the date of their local Light The Night event.
When will I receive a lantern?
Each registered participant will receive a lantern in person at the Light The Night event if they have raised a minimum of $100 by the date of their local event. If eligible for a lantern, you will receive it at the event check-in.
If you have a lantern from a previous Light The Night event, please bring them! The more lights, the merrier.
Do I have to register for Light The Night to attend?
Yes, every person on your team must be registered in order to gain entry to our in person Signature Light The Night events. Yes, this includes children and babies as well! Because our events are indoor this year, and for the safety of our community, we wish to ensure we are not over capacity. For Community Hosted and Light The Night My Way events, access to these events is up to the organizer’s discretion.
What if I want to organize a Community Hosted Event?
Light The Night Community Hosted Events are events managed by a team of volunteers that are comprised of multiple teams within one location. They are similar to our Signature Events, except these events are managed solely by volunteers.
To establish your own Community Hosted event, please fill out the interest form on our website. A member of our team will review your information and contact you about next steps for either a Community Hosted Event or how you can Light The Night My way in 2023.
How do I donate to a Light The Night participant?
You can support an individual or team taking part in Light The Night by making a donation here.
Will all donors receive a tax receipt?
Tax receipts in the name of the donor will automatically be issued for all donations of $25 or more (or for any amount on request). Online donors will receive tax receipts by email, immediately after making their contribution. (If you don’t see the tax receipt in your inbox, please check your spam folder—the email will come from AdminCanada@lls.org.) Offline donors will receive receipts within three weeks of the funds being received.
Note that funds collected from a fundraising activity or event are not typically eligible for charitable tax receipts, in compliance with Canada Revenue Agency guidelines. Please confirm with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada whether contributions are eligible for receipts prior to committing to donors and participants. Requests for tax receipts must be submitted within 30 days of your event and are subject to approval. If you have any questions about your specific situation, don’t hesitate to contact us via email or by phone at 1-833-222-4884.
How do I collect donations?
The easiest and fastest way to collect donations is by sharing your fundraising page link. Donations received on your participant page will be automatically credited toward your fundraising goal.
If I were to “kickstart” my own fundraising, does that count as a donation?
If you make a personal gift to your team, your gift will count towards your fundraising total and give you access to use our email fundraising tools ($5 minimum donation).
Do you accept cash and/or cheque donations? What about donations paid via debit or credit? Am I able to accept cash and/or cheque donations donated towards my team?
If you receive any cheques, please mail them to The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada P.O. box 9713 Station M, Calgary, Alberta, T2P 0E9, along with a note indicating which participant or team the funds should be credited to. Cheques should be made payable to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada or LLSC. Include the donor’s name, mailing address, and email (if they would like to receive an electronic tax receipt). You can expect to see these funds displayed in your Fundraising page within two weeks after we have received the cheque(s).
Card donations will only be accepted at our in-person Signature events on October 21, 2023. Cash will not be collected at our Signature events.
How do I submit donations from a fundraising event I’ve hosted on my own?
The simplest method is to keep the funds you collect and charge that amount to your credit card as a donation:
- Log in to your Participant Centre
- Scroll to “Personal Donations” at the bottom of the page
- Click on the “Add” button
- The “Add Non-Tax Receiptable Donations Below” screen will appear
- Enter the event name, total funds collected, and credit card information
- Click “Add” to submit
Note that funds collected from a fundraising activity or event are not typically eligible for charitable tax receipts, in compliance with Canada Revenue Agency guidelines. Please confirm with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada whether contributions are eligible for receipts prior to committing to donors and participants. Requests for tax receipts must be submitted within 30 days of your event and are subject to approval. If you have any questions about your specific situation, don’t hesitate to contact us.
How can my company or employer get involved?
There are many fun, rewarding ways that your organization can get involved in Light The Night!
- Form a team: You’ll experience the camaraderie of giving back as a group and can also qualify for great rewards!
- Become a sponsor: Highlight your organization’s leadership and philanthropy as you make a difference.
- Make a matching gift: Boost your impact by matching your employees’ donations with a company contribution.
To learn more about these and other opportunities, please contact us.
How will top fundraising teams be recognized?
As a top fundraiser, you’re making a real difference in bringing us closer to finding blood cancer cures and improving the lives of those affected. Thank you!
We’re pleased to offer a range of rewards and recognition opportunities for individuals who achieve fundraising milestones. Top fundraisers also receive invitations to exclusive events, Light The Night website recognition, and more.
To learn more about how you can be recognized for your incredible contributions, check out our fundraising rewards here!
Why are my emails being blocked or not delivered through the Participant Centre?
A minimum amount of $5.00 in your home currency (via donations collected or a self-donation) will be required before fundraisers will be able to use the email functionality in the Participant Center to send emails to friends and family.
What if I miss my local Signature event on October 21, 2023?
If you miss your local Light The Night event, you can always follow our social media accounts for recaps, videos and photos of your local city’s Light The Night experience. We do hope you don’t miss your event though, as each in person event will be meaningful, magical and full of love for our blood cancer community!