To say the last couple weeks of the Covid-19 pandemic have been stressful is likely an understatement for so many. As kids are home from school, parents are working from home while trying to keep their kids occupied and current on school work, and local businesses limiting their services to protect their employees and patrons we all might start to feel a little closed in and maybe even a little hopeless.

Our beautiful community has come together to display Holiday Lights, Hearts, and Teddy Bears from their homes and businesses to help bring some light, love, and smiles to our neighbors. These small gestures help give hope to those who see them and provide some out of the home activity for those who need to take social distancing very serious due to compromised immune systems.

One mother local mother contacted me regarding her kids and my Holiday lights. Her children are old enough to drive, however, due to one having a compromised immune system, they are practicing strict social distancing. They are allowed to go for a drive and listen to music, but not allowed to leave their cars. One of her sons happened upon my house. He pulled over and sent several photos to his mom. We as adults are worried and stressed, imagine how a teen with health issues must feel. His mom explained to me they drive by every night and send her pictures. This little gesture has given them something to look forward to and to take their minds off the stress of world today. Teens, kids, and adults alike could use a little something to look forward to in these uncertain times. Won’t you join myself and several other neighbors by placing even a single strand of lights up, placing a Teddy Bear or Hearts in your windows to brighten the spirits of those around you?

Below is an interactive map of the local businesses and homes that sharing in on the love. Grab your family head out for drive to see how many you can find. If you would like your location added to this map, please email or message us on Facebook!

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Published by Kelly L. Harnett

Kelly Harnett is the Founder of two local nonprofits - Hobo’s Healing Heart and Beautify Spearfish. She also sits on the boards of the Black Hills Regional Ski for Light and the Northern Black Hills Rotary Club where she is the Marketing and Publicity Chair and is a Chamber Ambassador. Kelly has three degrees in Natural Resource Management, Fish and Wildlife Management, and Fisheries and Wildlife Conservation and Biology and worked as a Wildlife Biologist and Wildland Firefighter for the state of Ohio as well as an EMT for Hocking County. She is currently working on a Master of Science in Sustainability with an emphasis on native pollinators at Black Hills State University and plans to use her degree in conjunction with Beautify Spearfish. She volunteers on wildlife studies near and far in her free time. She currently volunteers with Dr. Smith at BHSU on a Black Hills Red-bellied Snake project and assists with an urban bobcat study with the Bobcats in Tucson program in Arizona. Gifted with a servant heart, she is a firm believer in giving back to the community she lives in by being a ‘boots on the ground – get things done’ community member, supporting local small businesses, and taking care of her neighbors (near and far). In her free time, she enjoys traveling, spending time with family, running, gravel grinding, skiing, hiking, taking care of her pollinator garden, and drawing to name a few.

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