Dear Junior League of Waco Deck the Halls Community,

For two decades, the Junior League of Waco has brought holiday cheer to the community through our annual Deck The Halls event, raising millions of dollars for local programs. As we look ahead to the 2026-2027 year, we have made the thoughtful and data-based decision to pause Deck The Halls and focus on new ways to serve our mission.

This decision was reached after evaluation of the event’s viability, sustainability, and alignment with our core purpose. We want to be transparent with our supporters about the primary factors that led to this change as we work to make plans not only for the immediate future, but for the long-term sustainability of our mission and our ability to fulfill it with our valuable and limited resources of time, effort, and finances.

• Mission Alignment: At its heart, the Junior League is a training and development organization. The current logistical demands of Deck the Halls outweigh the high-level leadership training and community-focused development that define our mission.

• Membership Capacity: Feedback from our members indicates that the intensive labor required for a multi-day event of this scale has become a significant barrier. We want to ensure our members’ time is spent effectively and efficiently on projects that provide the greatest value to Waco.

• Financial Stewardship: While Deck the Halls was our primary fundraiser, the landscape of events has shifted. We have seen a steady decline in net revenue, while the rising costs of rentals and production have caused expense budgets to increase annually. As stewards of the funds you entrust to us, we must ensure that our fundraising efforts generate an appropriate return to support our community impact projects.

What’s Next? Our commitment to Waco remains unwavering. This transition creates space for new, innovative year-round fundraising and development opportunities that reflect the evolving needs of our members and community. Our decision allows us to direct our focus toward community engagement and initiatives that will allow us to continue funding our critical work in Waco, including the Women’s Empowerment Summit, our Community Grant program, and a new community impact program to be unveiled this summer, to name a few.

We are exceedingly grateful for – and proud of –  the years of sponsorship, volunteerism, and attendance that made Deck The Halls a beloved Waco tradition. Your support has laid the foundation for the next chapter of the Junior League of Waco, and we look forward to sharing our new plans with you in the very near future and to connecting and collaborating year-round.

Thank you for your ongoing support of our mission to advance women’s leadership and community impact, which allows our organization to serve McLennan County.

Sincerely and gratefully,

The Board of Directors & Management Team

Junior League of Waco