Arlington Heights holiday display for a cause

A group of Arlington Heights residents are coming together to make sure one of their neighbors has a happy holiday season and is able to stay in his home in the new year.

Carl Kunstman is 60 years old and has Down syndrome, but lives independently in his home in Arlington Heights. Last year, he was the victim of financial predators who tried to exploit him and get him to sell his home, neighbors said. Several neighbors stepped in and went to the authorities, who dealt with the people involved, but now Kunstman is behind on property taxes and in danger of losing his home, said neighbor Sue Heron.

Each year Kunstman sets up a Christmas display, full of lights and small figurines. This year neighbors have turned “Carl’s Village” into a fundraiser to help him stay in his home.

Heron called the display “a breathtaking example of what the human spirit can do.”

The public is invited to take in the sights at “Carl’s Village” from 4 to 9 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 28, and Saturday, Dec. 29, at 1615 N. Yale Street in Arlington Heights. Donations are welcome.