UPEI student lights up community

UPEI student Landon Holmes is overwhelmed by the traffic driving by his house to see his Christmas light display.

The 18-year old from Stratford said, 'It's a cool feeling to know so many people are coming by to see the lights and donate to the cause.' Close to $1500 has already been raised for the Heart and Stroke Foundation and Holmes estimates about 300 vehicles have been driving by each night since the light show was launched on December 11.

Holmes and two friends decorated his family home and yard over the course of 300 hours. The impressive display is a computer-programmed light show set to music that runs in a loop between 5 and 11 pm nightly and features over 10,000 lights.

Inspired by a house decorated near the Charlottetown airport and several YouTube videos, Holmes said that the presentation and the idea to raise money for the Heart and Stroke Foundation 'all came together'. He added, 'A neighbour passed away in June after suffering a stroke and I just knew it was something I wanted to do.'

Inge Dorsey, who teaches Holmes in her University 100 class, says, 'Landon is a wonderful young man and has demonstrated a generous spirit with this community project. I can think of many other things an 18-year old might do with his money. He actually invested $2500 of his own funds into this display.' Dorsey added that Holmes is big-hearted in many ways-he recently acted as Santa Claus at the International Students' Christmas Dinner.

Holmes' spectacular display can be seen at 13 Beacon Hill Drive, in Stratford. The light show will continue through to January 5, 2011.