Bonnie Williamson

"You can touch so many different children's lives and not even know it," said Bonnie Williamson, chairwoman of Festival of Trees."This money comes at a time when a family could use it to help a child realize a Christmas."

Leigh Mahaffey, administrator at Grand Blanc Vision Clinic, approached her colleagues with the idea of decorating a tree in memory of Dr. Jeffrey Mead, who died May 5 in car accident in Alpena.He was 37 and worked at the clinic for more than 12 years.

"We loved him dearly," she said.

Bonnie Williamson, chairwoman of the lamppost project for Vision 2020, said 48 posts have been decorated with garlands and lights.The organization received a $3,450 grant from the Grand Blanc Community Fund/Community Foundation of Greater Flint and matching funds from the city to pay for the trimmings.

Williamson has visions of decorating 117 more lampposts in the city by Christmas 2002.

Williamson said the Grand Blanc Community Fund and the city donations have been generous, but it's going to take public support to get more lights twinkling on lampposts next year.

"We want to make the downtown area festive during holiday time and to bring people out to explore their own community and enhance the downtown business area and beautify it for years to come," she said.

So far it hasn't been hard to find people interested in the cause.

Williamson, also chairwoman of the Festival of Trees held in Grand Blanc, sold three lampposts Nov. 29 at the festival.
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Williamson said the donations are tax-deductible.

Williamson said people can donate in $30 increments.

"If you get four people to donate $30, you've got yourself a lamppost," she said.

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Call Williamson at (810) 694-0306 or Byrne at (810) 694-1118.