nortonlights

A Thank you letter…

As we prepare to head up to the Make A Wish office this morning to bring your donations, we can’t help but reflect on this past month and our heart swells with gratitude.  Thank you to everyone who donated and thank you to everyone who helped make this past month memorable.

We have so many to thank, that a simple “Thank you” just doesn’t seem adequate.  We only wish that everyone could experience all the little moments that we have and witness the true Christmas spirit that we have seen in our community. 

Thank you to our dear friends and family who have come over to help us set up the light show.  These families have donated their time to test lights, set up the yard and direct traffic.  We only wish you could see how excited these children are to be a part of this.  We have seen kids as young as 9 ask if they could help in any way, and have come over bundled up in their Santa hats and gloves to help out. 

We have had almost an entire soccer team over for two weekends to help set up.  You are generous, thoughtful and caring people and we thank you. 

Thank you to everyone who told their friends, neighbors, families, and co-workers about the light show. Just by telling people about us, you have helped out Make A Wish and the children and families that so deserve a wish.  Thank you to everyone at the Weekly Sentinel, The York County Coast Star and WMTW for your stories.  We had so many people come to say they heard about us because of you.  Thank you to WHOM and Electricity Maine and to everyone who voted for us to win free electricity for a year.  This is really going to help our family and we thank you.

Thank you to our neighbors.  They brought us hot chocolate on those particularly cold nights.  They are patient with the traffic, smiling as they walked or drove by, or simply waving and saying “Merry Christmas” to us and our volunteers.  They have sent their husbands and kids down to help out when they have seen a line of cars.  They have taken extension cords from their own homes and run flood lights out to our signs so that people could find their way.  Thank you.

Our volunteers…..we just can’t thank you enough.  You have donated your time to help us.  Time that you could have spent with family, wrapping presents, or Christmas shopping.  We really couldn’t do it without you.  Thank you for setting up, directing traffic, handing out candy canes, counting money, etc.  You are amazing and Thank you!!!!

Thank you to our friends and our families who are patient with us and understand that sometimes we may have to decline an invitation or head home a little early to turn on the lights.

Thank you to everyone at Make A Wish.  You are amazing.  Thank you for your encouragement and help.  Thank you for letting us be a part of this.  Thank you for your e-mails and phone calls. You are angels on earth. 

Thank you to our friends and family who helped us out with our own children by giving them rides to and from track practices and to the gym because we had to get home to turn on the lights.  Thank you to our employers who are understanding about our schedules.

Like we said before, it’s not just about the money, it’s about the moments.  It’s all these moments that add up to an amazing experience.  It’s the family who saw us fumbling with candy canes one night because our fingers were frozen and gave us hand warmers.  It’s the bus drivers who bring residents of nursing homes and hospitals out for the night to see the lights.  It’s the Moms and Dads of wish recipients who share their stories with us, about their new swing sets, their Disney trips, or Nickelodeon Cruises…. much needed breaks from what they are going through.   It’s the kids dancing and singing along with the show who are so excited to get candy canes.  It’s the people yelling “Merry Christmas” out their car window as they drive off.  It’s everyone at the bank, who is excited to find out what “last night’s total” was.  It’s all those moments all wrapped in to one that has been our greatest gift this year.  It’s everything, it’s all of it, and we thank you. 

 

God bless you and Merry Christmas,

The Norton Family