August Meeting – VERY IMPORTANT
August is by far and away our most important meeting. After 7 months of planning, purchasing, and dreaming – this meeting is the one where we say “Let’s Do It”.
As anyone who has assisted during the past 19 years knows – Final layout isn’t “final”. It is, however, the blueprint that we use to get started putting things into the park. It is also the start of the fun.
Sequencing is being finalized for the animated light show. New props are prepared to work in our “way of doing things”. And people start looking at what they can and cannot do.
Please join us at the Lebanon Fire Department’s Training Room. 6 PM on Thursday, August 20. All are welcome.
Thanks Hayden
One of the yearly activities we do with our display is “maintenance”. For the wooden props, it is scraping and painting. For the static lighted props, it could be just changing out a light or 2 (hundreds). In some cases, it is a total re-lighting.
This year, we had some most welcome and wonderful assistance from Hayden Gerard.
Working on his “Citizenship in the Community” merit badge, Hayden took on the task of cleaning up and then re-making our “Peppermint Sticks” (some call them “Candy Canes”). When he returned them to us we were in awe about the work he did. Apparently it took 10 hours. I believe it took more, but I have to take a Scout’s word as it is.
Hayden is a member of Troop 46 of O’Fallon, Illinois.
No matter how long it took, Hayden did an excellent job. He also brought back to life some wooden bears that were found along the roadside and quite frankyl thought to be trash. They are no more!
Great Job Hayden!
Thank You ERIC
Lebanon’s Winter Wonderland was blessed this past season with the presence of Eric Nicolas Negura Damian (“Eric”) .
Eric came to us from Romania as an exchange student here in Lebanon. He volunteered to work with LWW upon his arrival and quickly became “one of us”.
We will miss you Eric, but we look forward to some “extremely remote assistance” in the future.
Safe Travels to your other home!
Bill, Peggy, Luke, Chelsea, and ERIC
Who exactly are “LWW”?
Peggy, Al, Luke, Chelsea, Dona, Ginger, Casey, Dawn, Harry, Kurt, Robin, and Bill.
These are the actual members of LWW. Thankfully, we have a LOT of friends. Friends who help put the props into the park. Friends who help wire it all together. Friends who man the Greeters’ Hut (meeting everyone who comes in). And friends that help us take it all down again at the end of the season. JOIN US Be a friend (or better yet – a member.)
Who Are We?
Peggy Gerdes and Al Gerdes
FFA Certificate Awarded to LWW
We are most humbled to receive a certificate from the Lebanon High School FFA at their end of year presentations.
The FFA has assisted us several times during setup, teardown, and several nights “manning the Greeters’ Hut”.
These are a great group of students and are greatly appreciated for their work ethic and assistance in many different areas.
Lebanon’s Women’s Club Donation
April 16, 2026 – We are so greatful for all the great people and organizations that support our campaign to bring a holiday display each year to Horner Recreational Park here in Lebanon, Illinois.
One of the organizations that has surprised us in the past (several times) and did so again today is the Lebanon’s Women’s Club.
Your donation is most welcome and will be put to good use as we prepare for our 2026 season.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU
Santa took a night off from making toys to come out and greet many a surprised visitor to Lebanon’s Winter Wonderland. Thanks Santa! It was great to see you.
(Rumor has it he wants to come back again in 2026. We will let you know!)
You Never Know Who Will Come Through!
Santa and some helpers were at the gate on Saturday, December 6. As happens on many nights, not only children and adults come out to see the lights, but so do many of our four legged friends.
All are welcome!
Images courtesy of Bill B.
Tradition, Plus Much More
All of the wooden cutouts are lovingly maintained by making sure that all the paint gets a touchup and all physical fasteners are up to the task of holding the props correctly.
A great number of the props were actually created by our elder members as well as many volunteers from surrounding communities.
The majority of members of Lebanon’s Winter Wonderland have been with the project since the beginning (or very near). We are still intent on putting up a quality display for the people of the area who make us a part of their holiday tradition.
Over and over again we hear from folks coming through the gates, “we come every year”. Some come several times a year.
We are looking!
Fact – Our display is growing and getting better every year. (Just ask those that have seen it lately!)
Fact – Our numbers are getting smaller due to folks “ageing out”. (Still members, but not able to come out and help with setup or tear down.)
Fact – If new members don’t join us, we will have to shut the display down. (Nobody wants this, but…)
Please consider joining us in our quest to provide a great display to the children and adults that come out to view it each year.
(Some – several times each year!!!)
A Small Group with Big Results
Did you know that we are a very small group of individuals, dedicated to bringing a holiday display to the Lebanon area year after year?
Did you also know that each and every one of us who call ourselves “LWW (Lebanon’s Winter Wonderland)” are ourselves VOLUNTEERS? That is correct. No one is paid. In this way we turn any and all donations we receive back into the display itself.
We are always looking for others to join us, but now it is getting critical. We meet monthly on the third Thursday of each month from January through September. October through December we are working in the park. Our meeting place is the Training Room at Lebanon’s Fire Hall, with meetings starting at 6PM and usually lasting about an hour. Feel free to drop in.
Interested in Joining? Having some fun?
We are looking for new LWW members – Join Us!
We meet the third Thursday from Jan thru Sept in the Fire Dept. Training Room. 6 PM.
Also, if you would like to know more, give us a call (618) 660-7621.