A beloved annual tradition that helps to offer a piece of solace and remembrance for those grieving the loss of a loved one at Christmastime is back this year after a one-year hiatus, and is set up in a new location just south of Bellefontaine.
The Lights of Love Memory Tree Display this year honors at least 500 individuals, and can be observed by passing motorists along the west side of U.S. Route 68, located at a prominent spot on a hill next to Bellefontaine Storage, 2754 S. U.S. 68, Bellefontaine.
“This is the 15th year for the display,” organizer Melody Couchman said. “What started as an idea grew into a tradition for many. While there have been a few changes and some adjustments, the meaning, what makes them special remains always.”
With the pandemic times of last Christmas, the display did not happen, and Couchman said as the season approached this year, she was considering whether it was time for the effort to conclude.
“I truly considered and was resigned to ‘letting it go’ this year because maybe it was time…But then I started thinking. We have lights. We have the huge, huge stands that Dad made special all those years ago. We have the weights. We have a location. Tags are easy to get.”
“Usually, we begin planning for the trees in August or September, but this year, it was November. It felt like it was just mean to happen this way and it all came together.”
One of the major pieces — the Christmas trees for the display — fell into place one day when the organizer decided, on a whim, to take a walk at an odd time and not during the nicest weather. She happened to see a family friend, Dan Price, driving down the road, and he stopped his vehicle to talk with her.
“I knew that Dan is in the landscaping business, so I just so happened to ask if he had anyone he knew who had trees we could cut down… You know what the answer was? He had trees that we could use.
“They are beautiful, 14-foot trees that he provided for us, and he made it so easy. Thanks so much to Dan for helping out for this cause.”
After securing the trees, volunteers and family members helped to rig up all of the electricity and lighting for the four Christmas trees. The memorial tags also have been placed to honor many loved ones.
Memorial dedications are still being accepted at $10 a piece online through www.lightsoflovememorytrees.com. Charity recipients of the proceeds are being contacted and will soon be announced, along with the total raised, on the website and “Lights of Love Memory Trees” Facebook page.
The feedback that Couchman has received from area families participating in the memorial has made it clear that “for many reasons, the trees ‘needed’ to happen this year, and maybe this year more than ever before.
“I think for many people who have lost someone special in their lives, they worry that their loved one will be forgotten. While it’s a small effort, this is one way that we can help to put their loved one’s name out there.
“That people choose to remember their loved ones through the display means the world to me.”
The Lights of Love will remain on display through the end of the year. Many hands were behind the 15th annual effort.
“I am so very grateful for the people that made it all possible,” Couchman said. “My people, the ones who support everything I do, who make my ideas happen and who are always, always there to help. My people are the best.”