JARVIS—Thanks to the tireless efforts of those elves behind the increasingly popular Jarvis Light Up, the small town nestled on the edge of Haldimand and Norfolk has been crowned the inaugural winner of Coca-Cola Canada’s Kindest Community contest.
With that honour comes $50,000 in funding given to the Norfolk Community Foundation, who will in turn donate 100% of the funds to the Jarvis Light Up Committee to be used in their ongoing efforts to grow the event each year.
Along with that, Coca-Cola will kick off their annual Holiday Caravan, during which Coke bottlers across Canada and the US adorn their trucks with holiday lights to spread joy, with a celebration to be held during this year’s Light Up festivities.
“It’s unbelievable. Your population, I heard, was 5,000 but you have 20,000 people coming (to Jarvis Light Up) and it’s free,” said Coca-Cola Canada Bottling President Stephen du Toit during an announcement held January 22, 2025 at a business just off Nanticoke Creek Parkway with a fully lit up Coca-Cola tractor-trailer parked in the lot out front.
He praised the Light Up team for creating an event that has turned into a destination for thousands of people near and far.
Haldimand Norfolk MPP Bobbi Ann Brady and Mayor Shelley Ann Bentley both spoke at the announcement as well.
“I travel Haldimand Norfolk every single day as the MPP and we are blessed with the most hard-working, amazing people that this province has to offer,” said Brady. “But you know, when I go to Jarvis, there’s just something a little special, the people who go behind the scenes, they roll up their sleeves, they get the job done, and they don’t do it for any recognition.”
She said that, instead, “They do it for fun and they do it because they like it and they bring that joy, that spirit not only to Jarvis but to all surrounding communities.”
Bentley said, “We’re small, but we have the biggest heart, and we bring all these people together and want to share in the joy that Jarvis has to offer. It’s incredible, the work that you guys have all done, just this small little group.”
She added to residents, “I encourage each and every one of you to come out next December … and celebrate with everyone you know. You can bring your little children; they’ll think they’ve come to the North Pole.”
A Coca-Cola press release notes that the search for the inaugural community led to nearly 600 communities entered through more than 2,300 nominations. Of those, Jarvis received the most nominations per capita with “heartfelt stories that highlighted the town’s remarkable spirit of generosity and compassion.”
The contest is held in partnership with Community Foundations of Canada. As Haldimand does not have a chapter with this foundation, the Norfolk chapter stepped in to process the donation for Jarvis Light Up.
“We call ourselves a joy movement,” said Lisa Nigh, who co-founded Jarvis Light Up with her husband Howie and fellow couple Ernie and Cathy Bigelow.
