Bay Hill Conservancy: 2010

- The Red Bow Committee -

Rachel Foster, Jayne Schmidt, Deb Bullard, Joyce Boyd, Carroll Adams and Betty Harrison.

Someone had a great idea - "let's decorate the Village with red bows!" That one idea grew and bonded our community, wrapping it warmly in red ushering in the 2010 Christmas Spirit in style!

Christmas arrived early November 17th, a beautiful autumn day in Bay Hill Village. The first community-wide Christmas decorating was organized and accomplished by Betty Harrison, Jayne Schmidt, Deb Bullard, Rachel Foster, Carroll Adams, Joyce Boyd and Julie Vaught. Unfortunately, Julie's work schedule prevented her from decorating but she was there in spirit! Fritz Schmidt and David Foster jumped in to assist.

Betty Harrison and Joyce Boyd checked the list ... twice!

Deb Bullard volunteered to make all of the bows and as of this day she'd made about 150 of them! WOW! Deb also welcomed the volunteers at her her home with bottled water and yummy candies. The group was divided into teams, bows were counted and divided and loaded into golf carts

Rachel Foster, Betty Harrison, Deb Bullard, Joyce Boyd, Jayne Schmidt & Carroll Adams

"I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round, as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable time; the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys."

~ Charles Dickens ~

Carroll Adams and Fritz Schmidt decorate one of the entrance signs.

With various lengths of cable ties and twine, along with ladders of different heights, the volunteers zoomed off on their golf carts in all directions. On Dasher, on Dancer, on Prancer and Vixen! On Comet & Cupid & and Donner and Blitzen!

In addition to decorating the shared areas, bows were purchased by many residents to place on their mailboxes, garage lights, lampposts, deck lights and other prominent positions.

Carroll Adams rests a moment, enjoying the sunshine and camaraderie.

"Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmas-time."

~ Laura Ingalls Wilder ~

Betty Harrison and Rachel Foster adorn The Villas sign with a lovely wreath.

"Christmas is forever, not for just one day
for loving, sharing and giving are not to put away
like bells and light and tinsel, in some box upon a shelf
the good you do for others is the good you do yourself."

Normal Wesley Brooks
"Let Everyday Be Christmas" 1976

Deb Bullard, Fritz and Jayne Schmidt working hard.

"Christmas is not so much about opening presents as opening our hearts."

~ Janice Maeditere ~

What would we do without our reindeer? Er, ah .... our golf carts?

At Christmas

"A man is at his finest towards the finish of the year;
he is almost what he should be when the Christmas season's here;
Then he's thinking more of others than he's thought the months before,
And the laughter of his children is a joy worth toiling for.
He is less a selfish creature than at any other time;
When the Christmas spirit rules him he comes close to the sublime."

~ Edgar Guest ~

Rachel Foster and Betty Harrison take a break while Fritz secures greenery & bow
(Hold onto that LADDER, Betty!)

"And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more."

~ Dr. Seuss ~

Christmas wreaths at Rivers Edge entrance signs.

The price of the bows covered the ribbon and the felt wire and also allowed the committee to purchase wreaths for the entrance signs, Villas sign as well as bows for the street signs, lamp posts and fence posts.