Ho Ho Hunsperger: How the Grinch SAVED Christmas

The Grinch!

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter
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I LOVE decorating the outside of my house for Christmas.  But as I get older, that climb to the peak of our roof and down the other side to hang the lights gets steeper each year.  I have visions of pulling a Clark Griswold one of these days and sliding right off.  This year we came up with a plan.

A couple of years ago I saw a picture on Pinterest (yes I have a page) of the Grinch pulling the lights off of a house.  It was a simple idea but I never really pursued it. Over dinner one night with the family we started talking about the Grinch idea again.  My wife and I both searched for the wooden figures online because as much as I'd love to be artistic, I am not. Plus I don't do well with power tools.

A work in progress

So I went to Facebook and put out a plea for help.  Not long after that a friend of mine, Grace, suggested the people at the Choate Mental Health and Development Center in Anna, Illinois.  Clients in the Cypress Woodworking program work with employees at Choate to do projects just like this one.  

Getting wired

The cost: $40.  That's awesome because our Grinch stands 7 and-a-half feet tall.  He's got that mischievous smile as he tugs at the lights from our house.  We bought a pole and some And some wire and secured him in front of the house.  A spot light helps light him up at night too.

He's a mean one...

The price is great, but the even better part is supporting the woodworking program.  The clients at Choate rely on state funding for the things in life most of us take for granted. Finding work and activities for those with intellectual disabilities is often a challenge for programs supporting this population.  This is an exciting way to support people who are capable of participating in paid work which is often hard to find. 

The woodworkers not only do the Grinch.  They make other Christmas icons and stay busy during the Halloween season with Halloween decorations too.  If you're interested in supporting the program, let me know.