Food Drive & Census

Please let your friends know or post to your facebook that we will have the food collection through next weekend(3 locations - Rolling and East Greenway, Madison and Ridgeway, and Rolling and Ridgeway. We estimate the present collection to top 6000 lbs and $1035. We had people drop off $200 in checks and cash in 2 nights last weekend as we were sitting around with friends at the 'firepit' in the front yard. 

The census response has been overwhelming so I haven't had a chance to do the tally - If you have not done so, please send me your address and the total number of lighted balls or other shapes you have hanging in your yard. 

I don't think the neighborhood has ever looked more lovely. So many of our streets are magnificent with the polka dotted evening skies. Magical and amazing. 

THANKS to all of you who continue to make it so spectacular. 
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
Jonathan and Anne Smith 

This makes it all worth it!!!

This note received from Amanda via her iPad
Loved driving through the streets and seeing the lighted balls!!! We were bringing mom home from Forsyth Medical Center and took a detour through to see the lights... They are amazing! It really made our day/night...thanks, guys!!

Lunch hour at Toad Hall

This is what we did today (joyfully) on our lunch hour.  We emptied all the little bags of cans of beans, soup, tuna, fruit and other wonderful things into boxes - put them into the suburban and get ready to go to Greensboro Urban Ministry.  When you come by this weekend (or anytime) be SURE to drop off your non perishables for the food banks.  They have assured us that they can use all you can contribute.  THANKS Greensboro and beyond for all you do.  

Drop Off location in Lake Jeanette

Our friends Gary and Diane Upham have set up another collection point for the Shine the Light on Hunger Food Drive.  Thanks for setting this up.  Here is a map to their home.  http://g.co/maps/g7sfv
Now there are 4 spots in greater Greensboro for drop off.  We will share out totals so far on this blog soon.  Please pass this along to your friends - please drop off a can or a bag of cans each and every time you drive by.  

Happy bride to be from Durham decorating for Christmas

This photo from precious Ally who will marry our nephew Matthew in May. Two photos from Durham in 2 days

A post from Durham NC

We received this email Sunday- Thanks for sharing this with us & thanks for embracing the idea and making it your very own. I love this!

Thank you for the awesome Lighted Christmas Balls that you are sharing with the world. Like many others, your gift has inspired me to organize a food drive to benefit NC and GA Food Banks (www.foodbankcenc.org; www.acfb.org/). I’ve recruited my nieces and nephews who are helping out with this awesome even! They are collecting food in their communities and will help me shop, sort, and box up the items, and then take them to the food banks. We are simply overwhelmed by the outpouring of loving kindness in our communities! Here is a link to the event on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/237396179659123/ I’ve attached photos of my first three Lighted Christmas Balls.
In return for their help with the food drive, I’m going to help my nieces and nephews make their own Lighted Christmas Ball for the holidays! We are all very excited!

Thank you again for your service and inspiration!

Rhonda Karg PhD

THREE, COUNT THEM, THREE DROPOFFS

Three drop off points for food donations in Sunset Hillls

There are 3 places to drop off your canned goods for the local food banks.  

We have already delivered about 600 pounds of food and 

we plan to deliver more than that today. 

Click on any of the addresses below for a map.  

2205 Madison Ave  (corner of Ridgeway Drive and Madison Ave)

206 East Greenway Drive North (corner of East Greenway North & Rolling Road)

222 Ridgeway Drive (corner of Ridgeway Drive & Rolling Road) 

The food banks can use all we can collect - so when your friends are coming to your home for cocktails, dinner, or a party, just let them know we are more than just a bunch of 'pretty lights'  & consider putting a box out in your foyer, collect some food, and drop it off in any of the trailers or bins and we will take care of the rest.  We will do everything in our power to make sure the food gets to the hungry as quickly as possible. THANK you for making this work.  

Merry Christmas !   

Fallen ball

1st fallen lighted Christmas ball of the season.  #LightedChristmasBalls to the rescue.

Lighted Christmas balls at Woodrun

Star & Angel

A gorgeous 3-D star (seven feet tall with a Lighted Christmas ball innard) and seven foot tall angel frame in five lighted Christmas balls at a home near the intersection of Saint Andrews and Carlisle. 

Doing the most good

George Arnold, Grayson Smith and Snoopy the bell-ringing mutt in front of Macy's in Friendly Shopping Center. Seriously, folks saw these bell-ringers, did about faces, returned to their cars, refilled their wallets and purses, and came back to stuff the red kettle.

Share an idea, then get out of the way

Shuttered businesses. High unemployment rates. People struggling to feed their families. That could be Anytown, USA, but to one person who doesn't like that diagnosis, it's Eden, NC. 

Dr. Rod Mortenson knew exactly what Eden needed — Christmas balls. He rallied his colleagues, they rallied Eden Rotary Club, and then Tim Kimrey, Gardner Sheffield, Mebane Ham and Jonathan Smith.

Click here to read Myla Barnhardt's story in the News-Record and see what's happened, at least so far. 

Happy

This little girl sure looks pleased with her accomplishment. 

2nd Food Collection Depot now on Rolling Road

Jamey, Phil and Jonathan Smith fidget with the string to hang the last Lighted Christmas Ball from the tallest branch in the highest tree at the home overlooking Greenway Park.  

Rolling Road has been transformed into a work of art. The neighbors are campaigning a 2nd food collection trailer in the 2100 block of Rolling between Chapman and East Greenway Drive, North. 

Come see this adventure unfolding, bring your friends and bring non-perishable food items for NC Food Banks. 

keeping food dry

With rain in the forecast tonight and tomorrow, thought we better clear out the trailer put it in the garage to keep it dry. Tonight's catch included peanut butter, tuna, high protein beans, one canned ham, soups, green beans, collard greens and yams. Also pasta, rice, mac and cheese and big containers of oatmeal.  Thank you, friends of lighted Christmas balls, for coming out on a dreary night and for helping nourish hungry folks. Come back often and bring your friends and show them how easy it is to share with those in need. 

Boys help out

Daniel, Jonathan, Phil and Jamey help neighbors light up their yards.  Fun times with friends.  

Dango likes the Christmas Balls

My friend Lindsay shared this on her facebook page.  It looks so much like the photo at the top of our blog, I wanted to share. Silly kitty - Dango..... 

All the way from Atlanta

This from Alex Wright in Atlanta - "This is our third year of hanging Christmas balls down in Atlanta.
Our first year we did 5, we expanded to 10 the next year and this year
we went up to 16." Here is the photo Alex sent.  THANKS for sending it along!!! 

Alex they look amazing.  I hope you get more neighborhood participation.  For several years we were the only 1 and after about 3 years some others finally joined in.  It may take a workshop or two to get it off the ground so to speak.  Come see us when you are here.

This amazing photo in from Wake Forest

We love to receive photos from folks who enjoy the lighted Christmas balls.  This from Christa Greene in Wake Forest.  It is a photo of her husband's creation.  A 30' Christmas Tree made from the lighted Christmas balls.  Jonathan has always wanted to do something kind of like this so we may want to take a little road trip over to wake forest just to take this in.  See an excerpt from Christa's email below.  

" I wanted to share my husband’s creation with you:  a lighted ball Christmas tree!  I wish you could see how big this really is because the photo does not do it justice.  It is about 30 feet high at the top and contains 40 lighted balls.  Everyone asks about the balls and I direct them to your site.  Your Christmas tradition has now become our Christmas tradition.

We look forward to our Christmas Eve drive through Sunset Hills!  Merry Christmas to you all!

Christa & Ricky'

Orbs in my Oaks

Check out Orbs in my Oaks, by contributing editor David C. Bailey, in O. Henry Magazine's December/January edition. Click open publication, turn to page 53 and enjoy.

Open publication 

Moon shot

Come see Liam & Graham's enormous lighted Christmas ball @ W. Market Street & Ridgeway Drive and donate canned food to NC food banks.