Richer lights shine one last time

Everyone is invited to bring a donation for Rural Animal Management Services (RAMS) while visiting the bright lights, music, inflatables and hand-carved displays on April and Ken Boer’s property for one last holiday season.

After 27 years of building up the displays and 10 years of inviting people to walk around their two-acre yard, the lights on Provincial Road 302, two kilometres north of Richer will be turned off after Eastern Orthodox Christmas on Jan. 7. The Boers are retiring to a property by Shoal Lake in western Manitoba.

April and Ken admitted the feeling was bittersweet, with April starting to tear up just talking about it while groups of children scattered around their yard to marvel at all the work put in over the years by herself, her husband Ken, and her late husband Rick.

A generation who marveled at the sight are now bringing their own children.

“We had one girl who was 10 or 11 when she started coming, and now she’s got her own kids and (brings) her own parents. Yeah, it’s something else,” said Ken.

A Whoville village contains some of the wood cutouts made by Ken, with April in charge of colouring. But even some of the inflatables come with a story, like Wally the giant bear who has stood over the displays for nine years.

“Walmart had that in the store one year. After Christmas it was still up there and I asked the manager, what are you going to do with that?” explained April.

The Steinbach manager said to make an offer to donate, and Wally came home to 46065 Provincial Road 302 in the RM of Ste Anne.

Joints are a little more sore after so many years of putting everything up and then taking everything down. This year’s weather cooperated, so it only took four weeks to put things up.

“We’re not going to miss the work,” said Ken.

“I think it’s better we’re going to move so that we don’t have to feel guilty when the kids come up and say ‘How come you don’t have your yard done,’ next year,” joked April.

“But then you hear that first little giggle, and all that crap goes away. Everything goes away,” she added.

“Until spring time when everything gets put away,” laughed Ken.

Most of the decorations will not be making the trip with the Boers. It will be sold, with some possibly going to the Richer community club.

The sturdy Santa chair is a likely candidate for the club. St. Nick will be making three last visits to the Boers, with the first scheduled for Dec. 14 from 6 to 8 p.m. More dates will be announced on Facebook pages like Ste Anne General Discussion.

“We’re hoping he’s going to be his usual self,” winked a jolly Ken.

Local animal causes have benefited over the years thanks to the Boers. A box is set up in the yard to take donations.

Ken said while most decorations are not coming with them, he is keeping his favourites: Ralphie and the leg lamp from A Christmas Story.