KILL DEVIL HILLS, N.C. (WAVY) — Arguably one of the top Christmas light displays in the entire region is all for a good cause.
On Clamshell Drive, behind the Belk Shopping Center in Kill Devil Hills lies a Christmas wonderland that’s been going on for the last decade. This year’s display features more than 70,000 lights set to 14 different songs.
It’s a tradition that takes Deborah Mennicucci’s husband Dave about 200 hours to set up.
“He starts at the end of September, beginning of October, and works a full work week and then comes homes every night and on the weekend and puts all this time and effort in,” Deborah said.
Her husband is not a computer guy, but he will spend up to 6-7 hours per song. Small speakers play the music, but there is also a radio station you can tune into in your car, 107.9FM.
Lights are on from roughly 5-9 p.m. during the week and 5-11 p.m. on the weekends.
The lights are worth the trip alone, but Dave’s dedication also goes toward helping the Mennicuccis’ neighbors.
They started collecting food and donations for the Beach Food Pantry in Dare County about 7 years ago, raising $106 and 200 pounds of food in the first year.
“Last year we collected a total of $1,182 and over 600 pounds of food So, an amazing community we live in. We are so blessed,” Deborah said. More than 1,200 car drove by last year.
Deborah says they strongly encourage monetary donations because the pantry can make that dollar much further.
“$0.48 feeds one meal, and entire meal for $0.48. So we do encourage monetary donations, but we do also take non-perishable, Deborah said. “We cannot take perishable because we hold them at our house until after the holidays and we take them then.”
To check out all the lights displays in the region, click here.
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