Annual Light Exhibition Inspires Local Family

Annual Light Exhibition Inspires Local Family The Festival of Lights holiday light show held on the Bay of Quinte is viewed and enjoyed each year by thousands of guests and local residents

By Jonathan Matthie

Mya (red hat), Isabel (blue hat), Jordan (grey hat) and their father Scott MacDonald, pose inside a 'Merry Christmas' themed photo frame at the 2019 Belleville Festival of Lights.

Starting in 2019, the annual event now includes the addition of a newly renovated Foster family light display, with origins dating back 60 years ago, when it was first created by Don and Rita Foster in honour of their lost son Billy and his friend, both tragically killed in a car accident.

With an assist from councillor Pat Culhane, mayor Mitch Panciuk quickly connects two, candy-cane themed power cords and, suddenly, the park lights up again—like a Christmas tree, colloquially speaking—this time, encompassing the crowd from end-to-end with myriad brightly colored lights and holiday themed displays at the Festival of Lights.

Poverty Round Table (PRT) committee member John Regimbald poses with his Christmas Elf hat, during the Festival of Lights fireworks display. While John approves of the festive community event, with temperatures rising quickly, he still hopes for more resources and shelter options to be discussed to effective provision this winter by the council to combat the continued rise and struggles of poverty and homelessness in the city.

Peter and Annis Ross, otherwise known as Santa and Mrs. Claus, participate in the city's light celebration every year. Peter loves pretending to double-check his list of Belleville boys and girls 'Christmas most-wanted', and Annis is also the chair of the festival's lighting display and signage committee. Arriving at the kick-off event, the real-life married couple always love playing the important roles each holiday season. The merry couple will continue to greet and delight guests with hugs and selfies each Friday night until closing night on Dec. 20.

Today, the Festival of Lights proudly represents a much larger community spirit of tradition, a regional remembrance which has spread throughout the Bay of Quinte to visibly expose the heart of a city that together celebrates people they love.

The Wilkinsons, a Canadian country music trio from Trenton, Ontario, perform at the Belleville Festival of Lights.

Local Belleville resident Twila Adams gives her glowing granddaughter Kaylie a kiss on the cheek.

Margie Rushlow shares a warm embrace with independant broadcast journalist, previous candidate for local councillor, and long-time friend of the family, Jeremy Davis.

In many ways, the festival is a symbol that is cognizant of this long-lasting sense of belonging, especially when there is a great need for light around the holidays, when life can sometimes get especially dark.

The significance of the Foster light display inclusion is not lost on another family here in Belleville — the Rushlows' — who likewise create an annual light display on their own, to memorialize a loved one.

Fred Rushlow and his wife Margie, her mother Betty, along with Jeremy Davis, attended the Festival of Lights kick-off together this year to enjoy the updated Foster family light display and new fireworks show. The Rushlows also attended in memory of their own boy, Aaron, who was likewise lost to a tragedy more recently, in late 2016.

At the ceremony, a tear escapes the corner of the eye of Rushlow, who looks on in silence as he listens to words spoken by Davis about his son...

"Out of something that was so tragic, so horrific, we will never forget his memory," says Davis, "Aaron was definitely a role model, and a great friend of ours, and forever remains in the hearts and minds of all who loved and admired him."

Later at the Rushlows’ Belleville home, Margie and Fred spoke about how they lost their son, Aaron. In some ways mirroring the Foster family tragedy, he died in a much-publicized vehicle collision.

Dan Keegan (left) who is Margie Rushlow's brother and Aaron's uncle, along with Randy Keegan (middle) and her husband, Fred. Together they hold up a sign that reads, "In loving memory of Aaron Rushlow — 1981-2016 RIP" — a somber moment of memorial outside their home, framed by a backyard Christmas light show they first began the holiday season following his death.

Parents Margie and Fred remember their son, Aaron Frederick Rushlow, and talk about the Humane Society fundraiser for animals that he inspired.

Jeff Keegan, an editor at The Intelligencer, and also Aaron Rushlow's cousin on his mother-Margie's side, holds up a photo taken in 2011 of Aaron visiting Santa with his daughter Anna, now 9 years old, along with Anna's aunt Nikki. Unfortunately, Anna can no longer visit her grandparents' Margie and Fred anymore. Anna's mother married a different man, shortly after Aaron's death. With Anna now having three sets of grandparents, the Rushlow's were informed that, unfortunately, they would have to be cut off during the Christmas holidays. Eventually that led to taking the girls out of their lives entirely. After many arguments over the years since losing Aaron, the Rushlow's just don't have the energy left to fight with the mother anymore.

The loss of Aaron, beloved by many in the community, was unfortunately further mired by a long-drawn out court battle, ending with the acquittal of the suspect involved. After multiple appeals, the consequential injustice surrounding Aaron’s death was completely devastating, and left a hole that has never been filled.

Margie and Fred Rushlow hold up a picture of their son Aaron with his pet chihuahua, Peanut, on what would have been his 28th birthday. When Aaron was just a boy, he saw Peanut at a garage sale and dissuaded his parents to bring the little pup home.

Peanut is definitely not a puppy anymore and gets exhausted faster now. It's finally nap time while Margie and Fred talk about Aaron and the the tragedy that sent them careening into a whirlwind of struggles, from both the loss of their son, and from the resulting next two years of court battles over his death.

Randy Keegan shares a moment with the Rushlow's first chihuahua, Peanut. Now almost 15 years old, Peanut belonged to Aaron before he died. No one could have predicted Peanut would outlive Aaron, who loved animals dearly. His parents, Margie and Fred now have have four chihuahuas in total.

Unable to find any real sense of closure after it was all over, the Rushlows’ only recourse is to look at Aaron’s full life, rather than his sudden death, to remind themselves of the many small ways he brought daily colour and light into all of theirs. Fred was determined to create a Christmas light display instead, as a tribute to his son.

From a senseless tragedy has come a testament to family love and the true spirit of Christmas. Chris Keegan plays Santa Claus for Fred and Margie's backyard Christmas Lights fundraiser event in co-op with the Quinte Humane Society.

The now-three years running charity light show is in honor of the Rushlows' 28 year old son Aaron, who abruptly passed away in 2016 after a vehicular collision still mired in confusing circumstances. A much publicized, two-year long court drama saw the accused eventually exonerated of the crime, despite inappropriate activities during the precedings and many unanswered questions. It left a widening dark space in the world of the Rushlows' — and their extended family, the Keegans' — which they have little recourse, but to attempt to shed light on, a little more each year, with light and memories of Aaron's life.

There is also a group page on Facebook called "Justice for Aaron" that vetted friends can join, and the Rushlows' also find a measure of comfort in knowing Aaron will continue to live on through the stories told each year by his many friends and family.

Photo, video and text by Jonathan Matthie. Multimedia song performed by the late Aaron Rushlow.

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Jonathan Keith Matthie. www.jonathanmatthie.com