today's offering

The utility trailer sits parked and open, as would one with outstretched hands, ready to receive gifts of food, providing nourishment and hope for the under-nourished and hope-less.

within hours of having its 686 pounds of food taken to Greensboro Urban Ministry, the little trailer began filling up all over again. Since last

night:

Thank you Greensboro

Several angels kept watch over the food collection sites at Ridgeway and Rolling and Ridgeway and Madison this weekend. Rain, high winds, and bone-chilling cold took their tolls on donors over the weekend but that didn't stop folks from giving. Brenda, Sean, and Anna Bowman stepped up to take the "harvest" over to Greensboro Urban Ministries Food Pantry today. What a joy to have them jump in to help, especially with the thermometer dropping into the mid teens tonight. And I know they were blessed, too. It's a little overpowering to drive past S. Eugene Street, turn right into the back parking lot, and drive past faces of real men and women living on the margins of life. It's something else altogether to back up your minivan to the loading dock into hands that will weigh it, stock it, and distribute it to those in need.

December 8th - Second Harvest (747 lbs)

December 19th - Greensboro Urban Ministry (572 lbs) and

December 22nd Brenda, Sean, and Anna Bowman - Greensboro Urban Ministry (686 lbs).

So when your friends tell you that they are coming over to see your lights, be sure and tell them not to come empty handed :)

Merry Christmas to you all. Anne & Jonathan

rain doesn't slow food drive

It rained Monday and Tuesday and drizzled off and on all day today. That hasn't slowed visits to the yellow barrel at the four-way stop sign at Ridgeway and Rolling and the utility trailer at the corner of Madison and Ridgeway. People put dry goods in the big red Rubbermaid tub and secured food-filled plastic bags to keep the rain out. I didn't take pics of each night's haul, but now that it's Wednesday night and my Suburban is full, I need to drop it off at the Food Pantry and get ready for the weekend. Anne and I are going to do a little adding up this weekend - she has one of those little counter things that ticket takers use to count attendance at concerts and sporting events. We'll let you know the count...and also how much food has been contributed so far.

LCB's are glowing all over. There's an extra special 13 Lighted Christmas Balls on Cardinal Wood Drive. It stays lit day and night keeping vigil, encouraging all who pass by and those who live there. If you're over that way, check it out.

More pictures of the Lighted Christmas Balls!

Harvey, a Sunset Hills resident, has a new camera with image stabilization so he took these nice photos last Friday night.

This truck may top our lights!!!!!!!!!!!!

When I saw this....I said "Jonathan, stop whatever you are doing and get him to stop." I just had to have a photo of this WONDERFUL truck. It belongs to our new friend(as of last night) Mark in Kernersville. He brings his cute daughter April over for ballet classes - she is int the middle of practicing for the Nutcracker. Look at this Christmas display in the bed of this wonderful 1981 fully restored Dodge crewcab (I hope I got this right) ANYWAY...they were so nice, they pulled over, we took photos...and visited. Mark had decorated it just for fun for a spontaneous annual parade in Catsquare NC (I hope I got that right too) Mark and his family moved to NC from Arizona and is an engineer at Volvo Trucks. In my opinion we are lucky to have him drive through...come often, bring your friends and some canned food for the trailer in the front yard.


NEWS FLASH #1 We sent 747 pounds of canned goods over to 2nd Harvest this morning with Gardner....next load going to Urban Ministry

NEWSFLASH #2 We got a huge discount(actually it was a credit) from Lowe's(good to shop there - they treated us right on this deal) We were credited enough to give each of you $1 per ball back - What an operational and accounting nightmare that would be so we made the decision to send the profits to Urban Ministry $127 and Second Harvest $127 and credited the remaining $$ to the lighted Christmas ball project for the kids in the tutoring progam at Grace Community Church in Glenwood - they each got a ball to take home this year as well as one to hang in the front of the church. It is worth a drive to 643 West Lee Street to see the 60 hanging there.

WFMY News 2

WFMY reporter Kerri Hartsfield and camera man John Brumbaugh pulled into the Grace Community Church parking lot late Monday afternoon. It's a good thing they did; Jeff, Justin, Emmett, and Jonathan needed just two more pairs of hands to raise the 60 or so Lighted Christmas balls that had been made by kids in the Glenwood Tutoring Program, and Kerri and John jumped right in and helped. Kerri had to make several trips to her car to thaw out, and John clutched his camcorder and shivered now and again and didn't get to thaw out. The two stayed until all the trees glowed with lights before heading to Sunset Hills for a different perspetive and to broadcast the 11:00 pm news, 'live from the corner of Ridgeway and Madison.' Afterward, I went outside thank them for all they had done to raise the awareness for hunger, and how together, our communities can solve a real live problem affecting one in eight North Carolinians and one in five children. Seeing the true spirit of Christmas reflected in their eyes was gratifying; grinning, I cautioned them that they're now hooked on Lighted Christmas balls for life and invited them to come back often and enjoy the beauty when they're off the clock.

Sunday gathering to make the LCB

Getting supplies: lights and chicken wire.

The Sunday gathering to construct the Lighted Christmas Balls

David was the designated goodies watcher!

Staying warm on a very drizzly Sunday. The chance of rain was 100%, but dedicated orb makers came out anyway. Others brought fire barrels and flat fire holders so the makers could keep warm. Pictures taken through smoke tend to hide details.






Darryl is an expert on making the wire frames and he was a "designated" helper.

You can Wear a Lighted Ball this season

Ali North - the little girl who made the very first Christmas Ball in Sunset HIlls and thrilled as the cars slowed down to see them, has created fused glass pieces which come with silver wire choker or can be worn on your long silver or black ribbon necklaces. I have this stock at our home and more are available at her site & the photos might be better. Go to www.GlassyMama.etsy.com She has lots of cool pieces of her fused glass jewelry there.

Bringing light to dark corners one mini light at a time

It was dark when we drove home from work.  Turning off Market onto Ridgeway, we could see Toad Hall ahead, pitch black.  Our dogs do not like it when we don't leave a light on.  Across the street was a different story.  There, the Hassell's lighted Christmas balls shone as brilliantly as we've ever seen. 

This was Marlene's view of the Hassell's:

And this is how their display looked from our front steps, over dimmed lights in the Japanese Red Maple:

2206 Madison is first to brighten the corner of Ridgeway  & Madison.  Thanks Hassell family for leading the way. 

Photos from Sunday

The boys were making sure the collection trailer looked just right. It seems like we collected more canned goods this year than last. We pulled it under a tent when the drizzle drizzled a little harder
The elf and his nametag. Rowan was very resourceful in helping with this last minute project
Brenda, Linda, and Janet - checking all their lists at least twice. They did such an excellent job...I heard they got a little dancing in as well....to help keep a slight bit warm.









Learning how it's done. Like Jonathan says if it's not fun, it won't get done.