GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Stephen Nortier and Joshua Farmer love Christmas and the decorations that come with it. But they're not always so fond of the effect mother nature has on their creation at the corner of Knapp Street and Ball Avenue.
"We had a lot of bad weather, as you remember snow and some rain. And it really caused a lot of problems for us," said Nortier, who told us earlier this season about the 50,000-light display that he's created with Farmer and his other son, Robert Anderson.
The family had to deal with some of their display being vandalized. But in terms of weather, the decorations have held up well for the most part because of how prepared they are for weather like the wind that is expected Wednesday night and Thursday morning.
"It's hard. Some of the inflatables have stakes and some don't. So we have to kind of improvise and put stuff in front of them or put stuff behind them to keep them up," Farmer said.
Any moisture in the ground also caused a problem.
"The wind will just pull the stakes right out. So that's one thing we're going to have to watch. In fact our train over here, during the last wind storm, it took a little run right down Ball Avenue. I guess he was chasing the deer," Nortier said with a laugh.
If the wind is bad enough, the inflatables may have to come down for awhile. But Nortier says his family is not deterred. Their display this year is helping raise money for the NorthPointe Christian High School band.
"They needed a new band hall, and I figured this time of year is all about giving. So what they've given me a NorthPointe, this fundraiser kind of helps me to give it back to them," Farmer said.
If you'd like to donate, you can do so on the school's website here.
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