Gurnee teen scares away hunger with Halloween light display

Gurnee resident Adam Germann once again is using his prowess with outdoor lights and music in an effort to raise money for Northern Illinois Food Bank.

Last year, Germann received contributions of 389 food items and $250 cash through his holiday light show outside his house at 4968 Prairie Oak Road, which meets Milwaukee Avenue's west side north of Grand Avenue.

“It really exceeded what I thought people would bring,” said Germann, 19, a freshman at Tribeca Flashpoint Academy of Media Arts and Sciences in Chicago.

Germann's latest effort is to help the food bank “scare away hunger” with a free, family-friendly Halloween display at his home, running through Oct. 31. The display runs from 6 to 10 p.m. weekdays and closes at 11 p.m. weekends.

More than 40 channels of lights are linked with Halloween-themed music pumped into visitors' car radios via 87.9-FM. “Monster Mash” and the “Halloween” theme song are among the six songs visitors will hear at the display, which includes illuminated skulls and a fog machine.

Germann hopes visitors will exit their vehicles to drop items in a waterproof food collection box toward the rear of his home. Cash will be accepted in a box that'll be brought in each night, he said.

His goal for the Halloween display is to receive 200 nonperishable items and $100 in cash for the Northern Illinois Food Bank.

Northern Illinois Food Bank acquires, gathers, handles and distributes approximately 3 million pounds of donated, government and purchased food each month through local pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, youth activity centers and other sites. The food bank has partner agencies in Lake and 12 other counties.

If you go

If you go

What: Halloween light display

When: 6 to 10 p.m. weekdays and 6 to 11 p.m. weekends through Oct. 31

Where: 4968 Prairie Oak Road, Gurnee

Cost: Free; nonperishable food items and cash are being collected for the Northern Illinois Food Bank