Thank you Greensboro

For coming out on a cold and rainy night to care for the poor and hungry.  

Here are the totals for the year so far. 
     8091 pounds of food for the food banks, 
$  1,299 in contributions from the Lighted Ball workshop 
$32,500 from the Running of the Balls,
$     757 dropped off or mailed to us for the food drive.  
$34,546

Bakersville, NC

Bakersville, NC, population 357, gets its very first Lighted Christmas Ball. (More to follow!)

Photo credit @wesley.m

Thank you Greensboro

For they shall be filled.

Thanks to the busy Sunset Hills Volunteers - 4 loads were taken to Greensboro Urban Ministry Thursday (12/19/13) weighing in at 2636 pounds adding to this year's total of 3464 pounds so far.  

Nick reported that the "Running of the Balls" 5K walk/run netted a check to Second Harvest Food Bank in the amount of $32,500.  And today we installed a sign with a QR code so that anyone driving by can instantly scan the code with their smart phone and direct a donation to Second Harvest on the spot.  

Keep those canned food donations coming in.  Shine the Light on Hunger.  

Winter Park Florida SHINING BRIGHT

Here are some lovely photos from Winter Park Florida.

And a link to downtown Winter Park.  WOW.  We need to get the city of Greensboro to do this. 

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/orange/os-winter-park-christmas-lights-20131216,0,1372858.story

AND This just in from Florida

Hi There,

 My husband and I moved from Greensboro, NC to Fort Lauderdale, Fl, in 2011. We weren't used to being so far away from family and friends, not to mention year round tropical weather. We bought a house the following year and really wanted to make Christmas feel more familiar. It was a such a different frame of mind to decorate our palm trees! We decided to make the lighted Christmas Balls. We went to Home Depot and bought all the materials, hung them on our trees, and stood back so proud and nostalgic. We are hoping they will catch on in our neighborhood.
 We just put them up for the second year, this afternoon. I just wanted to write you and tell you that we are inspired by the Sunset Hills neighborhood, and hope we create that same community of giving here! 

Take care and Merry Christmas!

Leilani and Shawn Whitmire

The mailbag

From Sherry:  This year's celebration of light in Sunset Hills will be so sad. Butch is not here to go for his "wild rides through psychedelic outer space." They were always the highlights of his holiday season.

We are happy that Butch had so many rides in our neighborhood and that he gave the LCBs yet another description.

From the Mailbag...

We get to be the "keepers" of stories like this:

Hi Jonathan,

We lived in the Aycock Historic District with Justin. You might remember
us as the couple that make 10 red balls in one go!

Anyway, just wanted to let you know that the Christmas balls have crossed
the pond. They are now in England, about 30 miles from London, which is
where we are currently living. And my brother has just added them in
Annapolis, Maryland. Happy to send you photos if your daughter wants to
post on her blog.

Thank you for making the world a bit more magical! Please say hello to
Justin for me! And, Merry Christmas!!

Laura & Steven + 2