This just in from Colorado - Happy Valentine

Dear Jonathan & Anne,

I saw your lighted balls at Lifehacker. They are super. We made three for Christmas this year. Then I had the idea to do a lighted heart for the month of February. It stands about 5 foot tall and is just outstanding. The pictures do not do it justice. We used twinkly red, white and blue lights. It can be seen from a long ways off. And yes, cars are slowing down to take a look. A man even stuck his head out his truck window to say it was beautiful. Thank you so much!
Jane Hamilton
Corvallis, Oregon

Totals - Finally - Is it February already?

As you have all surely noticed we have been extra busy and haven't taken down our lighted Christmas balls - we haven't even taken down or turned the 'all but Valentine's colors' maybe this week.  We have so enjoyed them in the snow/sleet/ice etc.  Here are the grand totals of food and funds collected. Thanks for your generosity, hard work, & dedication to this Sunset Hills Tradition.  This is a wonderful neighborhood indeed. 

4158 lbs of food AND $6190

More Lighted Christmas Balls Lake Jeanette

Stephanie Skordas wrote in November but I didn't receive this until yesterday or today. These are their lighted balls in Lake Jeanette. She also writes that they put some up at her Mom's house in New Irving Park (which had a very nice collection this year as a neighborhood). We never get tired of getting these photos and putting them up so if you have some of your collection, please send them on and I will put them up when I have a minute. Life is busy now with our newest granddaughter Finley Cate Smith born Thursday the 8th here in Greensboro.

Lake Tillery LIghted Christmas Balls

These are some special effect photos by our dear friend Bill Humphrey. The show up their Lighted Christmas Balls overlooking the lake. They are the first in the Woodrun neighborhood there in Montgomery County but I bet they won't be the last. Bill and Paulette are very precious to us as we have 'raised' our kids together and now we all enjoy grandchildren abundantly. We are blessed to count them friends. We are just waiting for some snow so we can go cook some hamburgers together soon.

Shine The Light on Hunger - 3,831 pounds so far - still a ways to go

Gardner Sheffield keeps a close eye on the food collection trailer, the yellow food collection bucket, and the weather.  He called to say that with wintry mix in the forecast, we better empty the trailer, "Why don't I take half the food to Second Harvest Food Bank and half to Urban Ministry?"  With Second Harvest's partner agency demand up 75% this year and Urban Ministry's pantry overflowing at the moment, we made the executive decision to allocate 100% of this trailer load to Second Harvest. 

First the good news.  This installment weighed in at 943 pounds, bringing the Shine the Light on Hunger total so far to 3,831.  As of this moment, the food's been inspected, sorted, and is on its way to needy persons. 

Now the bad news:  nearly 50 million people -- including almost one child in four -- struggled last year to get enough to eat.  You can read how America's economic pain has brought on hunger pangs here.   After you finish that, get a copy of the USDA's report on food security (insecurity) in America).  Warning: it's not for the faint of heart, but go on and read it anyway.

In 2007, Friends of Lighted Christmas Balls in Sunset Hills collected 2,976 pounds of food. 

In 2008, we collected 4,000 pounds, up 34%, during a recession I might add. 

This year's goal is 10,000 pounds.  I don't know where we got a goal that's 2 1/2 times what we collected last year, but there it is. 

At 3,831 pounds we're not there yet, and that's where you come in.  We would love for you to gather up all the non-perishable food you can fit in your car, truck or backpack and come see the lights, and donate food here or here.  Tell your family, friends, and co-workers.  If you're retired and your home is a retirement center, fill at least one seat on the bus with non-perishable food.  If you run, get everyone in your running club to grab 2 cans of food and run to the yellow barrel or food collection trailer.  Just come and bring food.  You'll be glad you did. 

Now seen in Sweden - Lighted Christmas Balls

Jonathan was asked to give a program for his Gate City Rotary Club in place of a speaker who had to cancel last minute. He is always glad to talk abut the Lighted Christmas Balls and a Rotarian here on business from Sweden did a make-up meeting at Gate City. He was quite taken with the Lighted Christmas Balls and visited Sunset Hills at night, took the instructions home to Sweden and here are his photos from his home there. It is fun to see them all over Greensboro and fun to see them cross the oceans to other countries. It has blessed us beyond measure to see the excitement and fun they bring.

Tater Tots !!

Last week, Jonathan ran into someone and they told him that they had made the Lighted Christmas Balls and put them up but they looked a little more like Tater Tots than anything else - I had to laugh because honestly some of ours looks a little tottish themselves. 

This week, we went on Aycock to Lee Street to eat dinner at St. Luis - a wonderful little Mexican place.  We took two cars as we were meeting there after work and we both almost ran off the road looking back into College Hill at some Lighted Christmas Balls way up high and plenty of them.  After dinner, we took the opportunity to take in South College Park Drive.  WOW - it was splendid and beautiful - Go over to see them.  They are wonderful. 

That inspired me to try to find a single street in Sunset Hills which didn't have a ball or two or twenty.  Did I find one? No, not one!  Every street, place, way, or drive had some form of Lighted Christmas Balls hanging from trees, awnings, porches or something.  Some of them looked a bit like Tater Tots but they all looked grand. 

It made me happy to live here in Sunset Hills and have you driven to Glenwood on Lee Street, Gramercy off Westridge, Round Hill in New Irving Park, Lake Jeanette, or the many streets in Starmount, Hamilton Lakes, and even Old Irving Park?  We know there are dozens more neighborhoods which I have not ventured to and would love to know about them. 

A couple from Laurel MS is coming to see us in a couple of days just to see the Lighted Christmas Balls and meet us and some neighbors while they are here. 

Shine the Light on Hunger.  Food Drive going through the 3rd at least.  Tell your friends to come by and drop off some food.  It is easy and fun.

Australia - Lighted Balls there !!!

Here is an email I received from Geoff in Australia:
Hi,


I came across your Christmas balls on the internet, and thought they would be a great project - which they have been for our whole family. Here are the two we have in a poinciana tree out the front of our house. Please keep up the good work.

Regards,
...Geoff, Rockhampton, Australia