Well here we are again, the end of another amazing year in Lakewood. Lakewood is a truly unique place, with some really unique Lakewoodites. No matter the stress and strife throughout the past year Lakewoodites have a way of finding solidarity, our central core each year during the holiday season. Why? I have no idea, as I sit here an old man with full recollection of my teens, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s and now 60s, it amazes me just how well the holiday magic works, when it is allowed to.
The first holiday lighting contest was brought on when Steve Davis and I saw some really underwhelming holiday display. Later that night we saw a tree in the window of Dollar General. It was every bit as ugly as that tree in “A Charlie’s Brown’s Christmas.” The window had fogged up a bit and frozen, so that there was an oval around this tree, and it glowed. At first I laughed, then I remembered Charlie Brown’s tree, and what Christmas meant. The next day we started the holiday lighting contest. It is the effort that counts, and every effort counts.
This year we ended up with over 400 entries!! Way too many for everyone to sort through. So we had thinned the selection down to about 150. This is amazing. After the year we had, with the economy being what it is, this is dedication not just to the holidays, but to the community. All they ask if for us to enjoy them, and I encourage every single one of you to take the walk, the drive, the bike ride and look at some amazing displays. Also this year do not miss Mars Avenue, it has become to Christmas was Cannon Ave is to Halloween. Beautiful work.
This is the final issue of the paper for 2021, and I know we are all looking forward to getting into 2022. If COVID has taught us anything, merely turning the page of a calendar does very little in the scheme of things unless we get involved and make it better. To that end I am encouraging everyone in the City of Lakewood to get off our collective asses in 2022 and continue to work together on making Lakewood better for everyone. Join and donate to LakewoodAlive, these people are on the front lines handling all the things you don’t want to handle until you need them. Donate to Lakewood Community Service Center-- their need for help has more than doubled. We cannot allow our friends and neighbors to fall through the cracks.
And please consider joining with us at the Lakewood Observer, a volunteer group dedicated to writing the narrative and visual stories of Lakewood and keeping them available to any and all who want to see them. No cost to join, no commitment after you join. But let’s make sure the stories of Lakewood are recorded and saved.
Let me end by thanking everyone involved with this project.
You can pick a printed copy up at over 100 Loctions around town, or download one here:
http://media.lakewoodobserver.com/issue ... sue_24.pdf
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays
Peace and Love
From all of us, to all of you.