812-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, December 9, 1995
One of the scenes from Overly’s Country Christmas is the western town. Lights
define a row of store fronts and country scenes from whip-cracking wagon drivers to
cows, chickens, and animated horses. The lights will be on- every night from 5 p.m. to
11 p.m. through Jan. 14.
Lights By The Thousands
Brighten Fairgrounds
DAVID HIEBERT
Westmoreland Co. Correspondent
ARMBRUST (Westmoreland
Co.) Imagine this:
The biggest Christmas light dis
play you’ve ever seen: 750,000
lights, drawing enough power to
fully supply about 57 homes.
Sound like too much to believe?
Well, the bright and popular tradi
tion of animated lights and holiday
scenes, orginally on Hairy Over
ly’s farm near Armbrust, has been
hosted by the Westmoreland
County Fairgrounds since 1993.
The growing exhibit benefits area
children’s organizations.
In this holiday season, many
families adorn their homes and
farms with lights and special deco
rations. One tradition that has out
grown its original location is Over
ly’s County Christmas, a tradition
in its 39th season.
New this year are additional
light displays and an emphasis on
smaller light exhibits which people
can observe as they walk through
the exhibition, according to Jane
Sibenaller, who works with the
exhibit.
Volunteers are crucial to the
success of this program. They
began working several weeks
before the display opened.
Local volunteers do minor con
struction. set up animated displays,
paint, and test lights. Last year,
“Santa’s elves” tested and plugged
in more than 17,000 strands of
lights. Though electrical or wood
working skills are helpful, almost
anyone can help get things put
together.
After the setup is complete,
4S-S0 volunteers help each night,
playing Santa, Mrs. Claus, or an
elf. They work in the gift shop,
admissions booth, take Santa pic
tures. or help visitors in other
ways. Many of the adult volunteers
arc people who as children were
delighted by the display at Over
ly’s home.
In the past, local organizations,
clubs, and school groups have
worked on the light display
together.
If you are interested in volun
teering, contact Linda Brady at
Overly’s Country Christmas.
(412) 423-1400.
With the donated labor, funds
raised for children’s charities keep
growing each year. In 1994 about
$47,000 was donated to area orga
nizations whose work benefits
children. This year about $57,000
went to 10 organizations. All
donated funds are channeled
through the Overly Charitable
Foundation, which evaluates
requests from organizations whose
work benefits sick or abused
children.
During the day, the numerous
cords and wires turn the fair
grounds into a spaghetti bowl of
plastic coated copper, but at night
the lights appear magical and new
delights art seen at every turn. Vis
itors may drive through the fair
grounds to see the many scenes
and animated sets, such as the
Harry Overly, founder of the Overly Charitable Founda
tion, started putting up lights to delight his four children in
the 19505. Today his light display, Overly’s Country Christ
mas, is hosted by the Westmoreland County Fairgrounds
and has gained national recognition. Harry poses appropri
ately with his grandchildren.
playground with slides, swings,
and teetertotters. With many other
public exhibits emphasizing a
drive-by view, Overly’s includes
small elements that can help visi
tors remember the days when we
lived on a more humble scale.
After a drive through view of the
lights, visitors might visit the life
sized nativity scene with living
animals, drink hot chocolate
around the outdoor family bonfire,
or shop in the Country Christmas
Gift Shop. The country kitchen
features car-grilled hot-dogs and
hamburgers, hot and cold bever-
[Turn to Pap* B 15)
SEE YOUR NEAREST
DEALER
FOR DEPENDABLE
EQUIPMENT & SERVICE
j.-PENNSYIVANtA
Annvllle. PA
BHM Farm
Equipment,
Inc.
RD 1, Rte. 934
717-867-2211
Carlisle. PA
R&W
Equipment Co.
35 East Willow Street
717-243-2686
Messick Farm
Equipment. Inc.
Rt. 283 - Rheem's
Exit
717-367-1319
Halifax. PA
Sweigard Bros.
R.D. 3. Box 13
717-896-3414
Norman D. Clark
& Son, Inc.
Honey Grove, PA
717-734-3682 '
Loysville, PA
717-789-3117
S.G. Lewis & Son, Inc.
352 N. Jennersville Rd.
610-869-2214
1-800-669-9029
MARYLAND
Frederick. MD
Ceresville Ford New Holland, Inc.
Rt. 26 East 301-662-4197
Outside MD, 800-331-9122
Li lkß
Bridoaton. wj ™njnqwn. WJ
Leslie G. Fogg, Smith Tractor
Inc. Equip., Inc.
Canton & Stow Creek .
Landing Rd. 908-689-7900
609-451-2727
609-635-5145
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kwhouard
Dependable
Motor Co.
East Main Street
215-273-3131
215-273-3737
A.B.C. Groff, Inc.
110 South Railroad
717-354-4191
OIQY. PA
C.J. Wonsidler
Bros.
R.D. 2
215-987-6257
Pitman. PA
Schreffler
Equipment
Pitman, PA
717-648-1120
Tamaaua. PA
Charles S.
Snyder, Inc.
R.D.3
717-386-5945
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Owen Supply Co.
Broad Street &
East Avenue
609-769-0308