Listen, my children, and you shall hear

Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere,

On the eighteenth of April, in Seventy-Five:

Hardly a man is now alive

Who remembers that famous day and year.

—from “The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Although the official Semiquincentennial anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence takes place a little more than a year from now, events leading up to the founding of this country and the American Revolution began earlier than 1776. One of those events took place 250 years ago on April 18, 1775, when Paul Revere took his legendary midnight ride to warn of the British Army marching toward Lexington and Concord.

Two Lights for Tomorrow is a nationwide initiative to commence the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States of America. The America 250 CT Commission, established by Governor Ned Lamont to coordinate in-state commemorations of the anniversary, is encouraging community centers, municipal buildings, museums, cultural centers, private residences, and other organizations in Connecticut to participate in Two Lights for Tomorrow by placing two lights in front of buildings on the night of April 18, 2025.

As one of the themes of the 250th celebration is “For the Common Good,” many Connecticut communities are also establishing the following day, April 19, as a day of community service.

Newtown resident Lynn Friedman learned of the initiative during a recent America 250 CT planning conference and envisioned the lights glowing in the center of Newtown on April 18. She has begun assembling a small team to work with the community to make this happen. Friedman is hoping to have lanterns lit in front of municipal buildings, as well as many private residences that evening.

“I think it would be a very moving experience for both children and adults and a visual reminder of how fortunate we are to live in a democracy,” said Friedman, who also hopes the event will initiate community conversations about remembering the past and building the future of our country.

Friedman has been working with Meredith DeSousa and Jim O’Brien, among others, to encourage local participation in Two Lights For Tomorrow. The trio was at Newtown Senior Center on April 4 to talk briefly about the event.

By April 8, the local efforts had collected promises from representatives of C.H. Booth Library, Edmond Town Hall, Newtown Community Center, Newtown Historical Society, and Newtown Meeting House to participate in Two Lights For Tomorrow on April 18.

Anyone interested in joining the initiative or who has ideas for community service is invited to contact Friedman at friedmanlynn539@gmail.com.

For more information visit ct250.org/events/two-lights-for-tomorrow/ At that link readers will find a page that includes an interactive map inviting those planning to participate in either event to register their intention.

As of April 8, 39 Connecticut locations were registered for Two Lights for Tomorrow, more than double the number of a week earlier. At least one private residence in Newtown was also pinned on the map as a participant.