Charity work is often associated with volunteer work, but that is not always the case. Unfortunately, most charity work is typically completed because it is required. Norwin junior student Lukas Dimitroff’s Relight Candles non-profit charity organization is what makes him stand out so much. Dimitroff’s self-started Candle Company is an accomplishment that should be recognized for not only its success, but also for the reason the business started. It is not often that people today choose to spend their time and work on something they are not getting paid for, which is what makes Dimitroff’s hard work and determination absolutely unique and exceptional.
Relight Candles is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to helping pay for the treatment of cancer patients who cannot afford it supporting the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Dimitroff’s organization sells natural, soy candles that are free from carcinogens.
Dimitroff spends much of his time and puts tons of dedication into this organization. It has taken him much research and testing to give his organization the success that it has had. As uncommon as it is for a young adult to spend their time doing charity work, the most popular question that often crosses customers’ minds is: “What made Dimitroff start this organization?”
“I decided to start Relight Candles largely due to my biology teacher, Mrs. Anselmino,” Dimitroff said. “We had a unit on cancer, and she was sharing some of the costs. It stuck with me, so I decided to research it more and more. During downtime, I would research and think about what I could do to donate my time.”
Dimitroff claims that a lot of his planning was focused on what would be the best approach to gain success. Selling candles, he decided, was the perfect direction to move in to meet his goal.
“When people light candles, many do so to create a peaceful atmosphere and to make their room smell good,” Dimitroff said. “I knew that for this reason, candles would be the perfect item for my mission.”
From there, Dimitroff knew he was in for a challenging, but extremely rewarding, process.
“This is where I started my research and where I realized how many types of wax, wicks, and fragrances candles can have,” Dimitroff said. “Commercial candles often use paraffin wax to cut costs, however, paraffin wax is known to be carcinogenic. This was the second reason for my choice of candles. With my entire idea focusing on helping cancer patients, I had to ensure that they were safe and good-smelling.”
Despite all of the effort that Dimitroff puts into his organization, it is still hard for one to comprehend how he has been able to plan and put into action his ideas at such a young age. Dimitroff assures that this was entirely a trial and error learning process.
“The most difficult part was definitely learning all of the legal and tax requirements,” Dimitroff said. “The paperwork and nonprofit registration wasn’t necessarily difficult, it was more so learning the rules and regulations that we have to follow.”
Dimitroff continues to be persistent and dedicated in his research until he actually started creating the candles he would eventually sell to raise money for an amazing cause. His energy spent and entrepreneurial ability reflects through the success of his business.
“I’m very happy with the success that this business has achieved,” Dimitroff said. “Even though Relight Candles is not a large, nation-wide business, we have definitely had lots of success. Any sale, no matter how big or small, means a lot to me and the people it’s helping.”
What is most inspiring about Dimitroff is his appreciation to help in any way that he can. Even if his organization is not one that is nationally recognized, he still acknowledges that every little penny helps. However, his attitude towards the organization is why he deserves much more recognition.
“Selling these candles makes me feel impactful knowing that I’m actually helping people that need it,” Dimitroff said.
If you wish to support Dimitroff’s Relight Candle business, his website can be accessed by clicking HERE. Every sale is a donation that counts towards a cancer patient in need of treatment as well as towards Lukas Dimitroff’s hard work.
