Surprise Joy

Triad Health Project's "pantry empty" status sent Anne into high gear, "Put the trailer back on the street and remember to put all the red and pink balls over the trailer," she said before adding, "and the big red heart goes above the front door, as high as it will go."

The cause of all his ruckus was that Triad Health Project hadn't received a shipment of food for five weeks, and their food cupboard was hours from being bare.

So Anne emailed Lighted Christmas Balls Ambassadors and posted on the Sunset Hills List serve about the food-deficit. A friend in Historic Aycock broadcast the need through her neighborhood's list serve.

Friends of Lighted Christmas Balls brought food. Five big boxes worth of canned/non-perishable food which Jonathan took it over to Triad Health Project. By 2/19, anne figured food donations were pretty much done for the year and it was time to retire the trailer again. And for three rainy days it remained empty.

But on the fourth night when Jonathan hitched up the dogs for their evening walk, he checked the trailer just to be sure food wasn't getting wet. That's when he discovered 12 big plastic bags full of food, each one double bagged to keep the contents dry. Just one more reason we love calling Greensboro home.

Ta Da! All the way from Oregon

I just received this email from people I do not know but some kindred spirits from across the country.  Anne 

We loved your idea for the Christmas Balls and made some each of the last 2 years.  I formed one into the cylinder shape hanging near the front door because we have to borrow the neighbors trees to hang the ones we’ve made so far.  Thanks for all you are doing for your community............  Jim & Carol,  Forest Grove, Oregon

Donation Totals for the Shine the Light On Hunger Campaign for 2012

2007     $734.00     2,974  pounds

2008     $772.00     3,729  pounds

2009    $6,190.00    4,158  pounds

2010    $5,687.00    4,089  pounds

2011   $10,502.00   7,165  pounds

2012   $24,254.00  10,003  pounds

Total   $48,139.00  32,118  pounds

This year has been a great year.  The neighbors continue to store, retreive, repair and re-hang the lighted Christmas balls.  It brings a lot of joy to us and our friends from all over Greensboro and beyond.  It thrills us to see the buses of folks coming in from the local retirement communities and families with children - young and old - who delight in the beauty of the simple design.  

For the last 6 years we have added a food collection drive. Grateful persons from all over the county drop off small bags of food which add up to big pounds.  

Sadly, may of our food banks are already depleted from the overflowing donations from many organizations over Christmas.  Please keep the hungry in mind.  When you have a few extra dollars or if you can tighten up your own consumption, make sure to give donations all year long.  We will attempt to post places accepting donations year long.  

2012 Year in Review!

I realized there were a lot of events we didn't ever get around to posting here on the blog.  This is my attempt to pull some photos from all of them and share them with you.

We kicked the year off with a workshop at the central library - it was a lot of fun and as always we met new friends and sent about 30 new lighted Christmas balls out into the city.  Beth Sheffield is our hostess for that event and it has always been a lot of fun. 

The next event was the Sunset Hills workshop held in our driveway and street on the Sunday before Thanksgiving.  Here a just a couple of shots from that time.

  

Next....Off to Morehead Hospital in Eden for a workshop there.  Here are some photos from that fun day!!

Then...
Ferrum College in Ferrum Virginia - some really nice action photos from that Sunday afternoon workshop with faculty and friends there........

Then - up from the basement storage come our personal Lighted Christmas Balls about 40 of them - who is counting?  

 

all ready to be tested, repaired and hung - this is an annual event, everyone!!

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Just to make the season a little more fun - News 2 features Jonathan and gives some great plugs for the Shine the Light on Hunger Food Drive and secures some Lighted Christmas Balls for the weather garden at News 2 

DigTriad 

Fast forward a bit to the Running of the balls - a genius idea from our friend Nick Loflin.  I didn't really ever imagine it would be as huge as it was.  It was a huge success - even in less than ideal weather.  With bad weather comes muddy shoes - the photo of those was just TOO GOOD to pass up.  

Just some random shots from around the Sunset Hills neighborhood - some of our favorite things xoxoxo

The Primetimers group was so kind to ask Jonathan to come share the story with them at their annual Christmas party.  They did a very nice food drive there and sent us home with a nice cart of great things to add to the trailer.  Thanks Christ United Methodist - it was a fun time with you!

All the rest are just pretty lights  and evidence of a completely successful fund and funds for Shine the Light on Hunger - a project solely dedicated to feeding the hunger through our local food banks - 

Greensboro Urban Ministry and Second Harvest.  

We were lucky to have a good number of lighted Christmas balls still shining for our first and only(to date) snowstorm.  

Enjoy!