Bright holiday decorations aim to help the less fortunate

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We all love to spread our holiday cheer through seasonal decorations, both inside and outside the house. Those of us with a competitive streak might even strive to be the best and brightest house on the block.

But the holiday season is also about giving back to those who are less fortunate. According to the Mid-Ohio Foodbank, 43 percent of its clients have to make the decision between paying rent or mortgage, and buying food, while 57 percent have to choose between paying utility bills and buying groceries. For struggling families who want to provide a nice dinner during the holidays or even buy gifts, extra food can make a huge difference. 

That’s why one central Ohio man and another central Ohio food pantry have found a philanthropic way to show off their holiday decorations and lights.

Dazzling Christmas Lights

Westerville resident Rick Hilyard says he’d always been a “Halloween guy” – that is, until he got married and his wife requested he start hanging up decorations for Christmas instead.

“I have a computer programming background, so I started doing a little research,” Hilyard says. “You can control lights with computers, so I said, ‘That’s right up my alley.’”

It all started with 16 channels and 15,000 lights; each channel controls a single strand of light. Now, Hilyard’s light display has more than 80,000 lights and, while he says he’s lost count of the channels, it’s around 5,400.

The additional channels and features mean Hilyard can add more detail and color. When viewers pull up to the house at 649 Old Coach Rd., they can set their car radios to 92.9 FM and watch Hilyard’s lights dance to the music. 

The light display originated 11 years ago and, in the beginning, Hilyard asked viewers to make a monetary donation to Children’s Hospital of Columbus, now Nationwide Children’s Hospital. But there was no way of calculating the donations or determining whether visitors were donating. A trip to Kroger about five years ago turned everything around.

“They had a little box, and it said, ‘Donate canned food to WARM,’” Hilyard says. “I thought, that might be something to look into.”

Hilyard approached WARM – the Westerville Area Resource Ministry – and told the food pantry about the thousands of people who come by his house to see the lights each year. He proposed an idea: Leave a box for canned food donations by his house, so anyone who stops by to view the lights could donate.

“They’ve been really awesome at helping me get the word out,” Hilyard says.

In the first year, about 250 pounds of canned goods were donated via Dazzling Christmas Lights. But, for the past two years, Hilyard has been able to donate about 3,000 pounds each year.

“WARM told me I was their largest non-commercial donor,” Hilyard says, adding that he likes to go around town to promote WARM and encourage businesses to donate. “We always want to do more.”

The community has always been very receptive to the idea, Hilyard says, and attendees are always encouraging their friends to head out to the lights and donate their canned goods.

“Everyone says they love the lights,” he says. “It’s great to know you’re helping the community.”

Hilyard’s display started Nov. 24 and runs through Jan. 1.

Festival of Lights

In December 2008, the PCMA Food Pantry of Pickerington held its first Plaza of Lights and raised more than $20,000 to help the pantry move to its current location at 70 Cross St.

Now, it serves as the pantry’s main fundraiser, helping the pantry fund up to ⅓ of its annual budget. Last year, the pantry earned about $55,000.

The pantry teams up with the Violet Township Fire Department to help hang the lights every year.

For every $5 donated, another light is added to the display, helping it grow every year. And, for every $125 that’s donated, an entire strand of lights is added. To put that in perspective, each $1 donated allows the pantry to purchase $10 worth of groceries.

This year, however, is a little different. Due to construction in the event’s usual site of Olde Pickerington Village, the pantry is bringing its lights down to its Cross Street home, says Barbara Meek, director of community relations and development, for a Festival of Lights.

“‘One light, one hope,’” Meek says, quoting the celebration’s catchphrase. “We’re trying to give hope.”

The holiday season is undoubtedly a busy one for the food pantry. Each year, the pantry distributes about 300 Thanksgiving dinners and just as many Christmas baskets to families in need.

The official lighting ceremony starts at 6 p.m. Dec. 2.

Hannah Bealer is an editor. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.

How to Help this Holiday Season

Soup Kitchens:

  • Holy Family Soup Kitchen
  • Community Kitchen
  • Madison Soul Soup Kitchen
  • HandsOn Central Ohio

Food Pantries:

  • Mid-Ohio Foodbank
  • Westerville Area Resource Ministry
  • Dublin Food Pantry
  • Village Coalition Against Hunger
  • PCMA Food Pantry of Pickerington

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