April 18 – 19, 2025
Two Lights for Tomorrow is a nationwide initiative to commence the celebration of the 250th birthday of the United States of America. The famous ride of Paul Revere occurred on the overnight of April 18 – 19, 1775. Two Lights for Tomorrow commemorates that famous ride and uses the imagery of that shining light today as a uniting call to action for our citizens to celebrate and serve.
On April 18, 2025, we’re calling for two lights to be displayed in every statehouse in the nation. They will be a reminder that the visual of a light shining out in the darkness on Revere’s ride is not just something that mattered then; it’s something that matters today, and for our collective tomorrow. Some commissions are planning a public program as two lights are lit at the statehouse. This is an opportunity to not only raise public awareness of the upcoming 250th and how that visibly will be marked, but also to communicate the meaning of Revere’s ride as history and remind our citizens of their part in the perpetual building of a “more perfect union.”
The day following, states can promote a day of service on April 19th. At the community level, citizens will be called to serve their communities with volunteer projects ranging from park and cemetery clean-ups (especially with the close proximity to Earth Day) to community builds, food drives, and card writing to residents of care facilities, etc. The possibilies for service can be tailored to the needs of our citizens and in partnership with service organizations.
From two spotlights at a state capitol building beaming in the darkness to smaller displays at municipal buildings, and lights in individual homes, every citizen can participate. For state-level displays, there isn’t a specific kind of light, duration of display, or location because we want it to be approachable and achievable for everyone given that each state-level commission will need to coordinate the approval processes within their own systems.
Some governor’s offices are considering issuing executive orders to encourage government department buildings, municipalities, and every citizen to participate.
We encourage participation at as many locations as possible – community centers, municipal and county administrative buildings, and private residences.
A toolkit is in development to include
Kevin Hampton
A250WI Program Coordinator
kevin.hampton@dva.wisconsin.gov
wisvetsmuseum.com/america250
For more information, please contact:
Patrick Daughtry, Director of Major Gifts
(757) 936-0302 | pdaughtry@va250.org
Susan Nolan, Director of Institutional Giving
(757) 903-1060 | snolan@va250.org
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