Milan gives the green light to improved holiday display

MILAN — Donations helped Milan plan a holiday light display worthy of the town that was once home to the inventor of Christmas lights.Al Buggele donated about $5,000 to the village in memory of his wife, Gertie, who died in December 2018. Gertie helped add to the village's beauty as a member of the Milan Garden Club and loved Christmas.He requested the money be used to improve the village's holiday light display to honor his wife's love of Milan and Christmas.The donation compelled the council to create the Village of Milan Beautification Commission to formulate a plan to enhance the holiday display. The initial plan simply called for updating to safer and efficient LED lights, but the commission didn't stop.After it raised an additional $5,000 in funds, the commission went back to the council with phase two. It called for adding decorations to the gazebo and doubling the number of lights.The town will string lights from the corners of the square to four poles installed at the base of the Civil War monument to create a light canopy. The canopy of lights marks the return of a Milan tradition not seen on the square since the 1940s.The village will celebrate the amplified decorations with the "Light up Milan's Square for Christmas" event at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 29. The town invites people to come out for a short ceremony, cookies, hot chocolate and to see Santa Claus.Reach reporter Michael Harrington at michaelharrington@sanduskyregister.com, follow the Register at Facebook.com/SanduskyRegisterA photo of the light canopy in the village of Milan in the 1940s during the holiday season.Gertie Buggele died in December 2018. Her husband, Al, donated $5,000 to the village in her memory to increase the holiday decorations in the square.