Fire stations aim for red lights on holiday wreaths this season

With all of the holiday displays around town, you might not have noticed the bright red lights on those big green wreaths hanging outside each of Huntley's three fire stations.

The "Keep the Wreath Red" fire safety program has become a yearly tradition in Huntley, says deputy fire chief Keith Mallegni,

The wreaths are there to remind people to observe safety rules when putting up outdoor lights or Christmas trees. The nationwide program runs from the day after Thanksgiving through the end of December.

Participating fire departments each display a large red-lighted wreath where it can easily be seen by the public. Whenever they respond to a fire caused by holiday lighting, one bulb on the wreath is changed from red to white. The goal is to "Keep The Wreath Red" through public awareness.

In nearly 20 years, the Huntley Fire Protection District has had to change only one bulb, Mallegni said.

"That was about seven years ago, and the fire was caused by outdoor lights," he told me. "There was some minor damage to the home, but no one got hurt."

That's extremely fortunate, he added. Every year, hundreds of people die, or are injured, due to holiday-related fire hazards, according to the U.S. Fire Administration Web site, which offers safety tips at www.usfa.dhs.gov.

"If you have a live tree, keep it watered so it doesn't dry out," Mallegni advises.

"Use UL-approved lights, and keep packages and tissue papers away from lights that give off heat. Those new LED lights stay cooler, and they're getting pretty popular now."

Sounds like good advice. While I had him on the phone, I couldn't resist asking Mallegni how good he has been this year, and what he would like Santa to bring.

"I think I've been pretty nice," he said. "What I really want is for everybody to be safe -- the public and our firefighters, too. If they have to go to a call, I want them all to come home safely. I just want everyone to be healthy and happy for Christmas.

Sun City luminaria: When I was kid, our family loved to drive around and see the Christmas lights. If you do, too, this Christmas Eve, be sure to cruise through Del Webb where, starting at 5 p.m., many streets will be lined with lighted luminaria, thanks to the Sun City Lions Club.

Now in its fourth year, the club's Christmas Luminaries project will have at least 350 participants this year, said organizer Jim Graves.

"It's down a little bit this year for some reason," he told me. "We had close to 500 last year. I'm not really sure what it is, but I guess a lot of people are going out of town."

For a small cost, the club provides paper bags, sand, and easy-to-follow instructions for any Sun City resident who wants to participate in the display. Supplies are still available, and it's a lovely way to express the spirit of the season, Graves says. To take part, you can reach him at (847) 515-3036, or by e-mail at liongraves@comcast.net .

"So," I asked Graves, "How about you? Have you been naughty or nice this year?"

"That depends on whether you ask me or my wife," he laughed. "Probably a little of both."

So what little surprise would he like to find in his stocking?

"Maybe a new set of golf clubs?" he suggested. "But I guess that's not such a little thing."

No, Jim, it's not … but if you can find a big enough sock, who knows?

School's out: For many Huntley-area kids, the best gift of all is the two-week school vacation they'll have starting next week. District 158 schools close for winter break today, and classes will resume on Jan. 7. I asked Conley Elementary principal Scott Eddings what his students should do with all that free time.

"They need to relax, read books, and re-energize for the rest of the school year," he advised.

And what does he want for Christmas?

"I just hope Santa brings me a healthy family and plenty of iTune gift cards," he said. "That's something that should fit in a stocking -- you can get a lot in there!"

Santa's return: It seems like Santa can't get enough of Huntley. The man in red spent most of last weekend here, enjoying at the Huntley Area Public Library's Holiday Open House on Friday night and greeting fans at the park district's Santa Party on Saturday.

This Saturday and Sunday, Santa will be back in Huntley from noon to 3 p.m., strolling through the Prime Outlets and handing out candy canes. I hear that he loves to have his picture taken, so if you bring your camera, he'll be delighted to pose with you.

Library news: Over 400 parents and children enjoyed the library's holiday open house, said director Virginia Maravilla.

"We had more in the first hour this year than we've ever had before," she told me.

The holiday basket raffle, organized by the Friends of the Library volunteer group, raised over $2,000 from 23 donated gift baskets, said Pam Kampwerth. The winning names were drawn Sunday, and you can call the reference desk to see if yours is among them.

"We want to thank everybody who bought tickets and donated to our final fundraiser of the year," Kampwerth said.

Now they're looking ahead to 2008, with a "Library Lovers" fundraiser that will appear in February newsletters sent to 18,000 patron households. Proceeds from both projects will go into the library's building fund.

I asked Patti Coltman at the circulation desk about her Christmas wishes.

"I was extremely nice this year," she told me. "I would like Santa to bring a vacation. Preferably someplace warm, like San Diego. I used to live in southern California, so I know it would be nice."

The library's Chicago Wolves Winter Reading Program, "Read to Succeed," starts today and runs through Feb. 29. Children up to fifth grade can earn prizes for reading books or having parents read to them.

Participants will get a chance to meet a Chicago Wolves player at a party held at the end of the program. Sign-up sheets and reading logs are available in the children's room.