Johnsons spread Xmas joy

LAKESIDE-MARBLEHEAD — Curt and Ann Johnson have owned a home in Lakeside Chautauqua since 2005 and became permanent residents earlier this year. With them came an extensive collection of Christmas decorations, meaning a new corner of Lakeside will shine brightly this holiday season. With the help of volunteers and Lakeside staff, the Johnsons are transforming Perry Park into an impressive display of more than 200 Christmas figurines, beginning what they hope will become a new Lakeside tradition. Their collection began more than 20 years ago at their home in Carmel, Indiana, and eventually grew so large that they needed a storage unit. "It just kept getting more and more out of control," Curt said. "By 2017, our house was really lit up." Their annual light-up night, always occurring on the Saturday before Thanksgiving, turned into a neighborhood block party complete with Santa Claus and occasional appearances by the Grinch. Curt and Ann decorated everything within reach of a step ladder and brought in help for higher areas like the gutters and roof. For years, the Johnsons spent Thanksgiving in Lakeside and Christmas in Indiana. They always imagined brightening the usually dark Perry Park — and now that they are year-round residents, they are finally able to bring that vision to life. Volunteers are spread across the park while others gather in Greg and Kira Brunton's garage to repair broken items and build new decorations. Nothing goes to waste. If a figurine doesn't light up, it gets a second chance. "If it doesn't work, someone's going to try and fix it first," Curt said. "My wife has gotten really good at it. This year, almost everything worked. I think it was just pure luck." The display is carefully planned with themed areas throughout Perry Park. On the west side, visitors will find Heat Miser and Snow Miser from "The Year Without a Santa Claus," along with characters from "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer." Other sections feature: • Disney favorites, including Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Winnie the Pooh, Dumbo, Stitch and Olaf • A frontier Christmas with wildlife • A lumberjack Santa and a river • The Peanuts characters • The Grinch • Snowmen • Squirrels • A penguin pond The centerpiece is a manger scene near the park entrance across from Cherry Avenue. A new addition not featured in Indiana is a dog park scene, something the Johnsons felt was fitting for Lakeside. The couple, loyal Ohio State fans, have a dog of their own, Buckeye. "We wanted to get some dogs because there are so many of them in Lakeside," Curt said. Curt estimates the project will take about 200 hours and two weeks to complete. Dennis Doolittle, Lakeside's vice president of municipal services, and members of the Lakeside maintenance team are assisting with power needs and additional supplies. "A big thanks to Dennis Doolittle and his team," Curt said. "They added several outlets in the park for us." The goal is to light the park on Saturday. While there will not be a large kickoff event like those in Indiana, the Johnsons, who live across the street, will have the best view yet. "When you put it in your own yard, you just see the back of the display," Curt said. "I'm seeing the front of it for the first time." With the extra space in Perry Park, Curt looks forward to expanding the display in future years. The exhibit is designed for young children, but people of all ages will find joy in the lights. "It's designed for kids around 10 years old and under," he said. "If you want the elegant decorations, this isn't it, but it's over the top. When people are coming to the area, we want them to have something cool to look at." A heartfelt thank you to the Johnsons and the volunteers who have made this beautiful display possible: Tony and Corolyn Apotsos, Steve Bemiller, Barbara Browning, Greg and Kira Brunton, Rob and Patty Curry, Deb Eliot, Al and Kathy Holland, Tom and Laura Klingman, Stephanie Leffler, Jerri Lybarger, Tom Ramsdell, Ron and Carol Rinehart, Mark Snyder, Jim Switzer and Doug Thompson.