Friday Fun: Penguins, Christmas Carol & Cancer

OK, I’m sneaking a small reprise in from last year.  But you can’t create traditions without repeats.  Besides, few things are cuter at any time of the year than Penguins – whether singing, dancing, waddling … or helping raise money for leukemia research. 

Let’s start with my reprise from last year – and feel free to join in the singing to the tune of “Hark the Herald Penguins … err ANGELS Sing” …

“Hark!” the Herald Penguins sing:

“Please don’t eat our little wings!

“Eat a goose down to the bone,

“But leave Penguins all alone.

 

“Baby ducks are very sweet;

“Tastier than Penguin meat.

“Find us in your grocery store?!?

“Please don’t shop there anymore!”

So how exactly do Penguins help raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society?  Well, right here in the KCMO Metro we can find that answer by meeting a Scrooge who had an epiphany.

Paul Craig of Olathe, KS lost his Mother to leukemia shortly before Christmas back in 1999, and his sorrow at Holiday time carried over for several years. 

"For the next few years, I was no fun to be around during Christmas," Craig explained.

But then in 2003 he saw some of colorful giant inflatable penguins in a big box store, and decided to play joke on his wife who has been collecting penguin tchotchkes for years.  So he bought three of them to surprise her by putting them up in the yard.

(Below is just some of his wife's Penguin tchotchke collection)

And like his wife's, Paul's inflatable penguin collection continued to grow and grow until there are now over 150 inflatable, motorized-moving, music-playing, bubble-blowing, illuminated display of penguins that fill his entire yard (and spill over into a neighbor’s) from Thanksgiving to New Year. 

And thus was born Paulie’s Penguin Playground – to the delight children of all ages.  And to make the Penguins – plus Santa, elves and other Christmas characters – feel right at home, he has now even added a snow-making machine!

Craig begins the work (with help from neighbors and friends) of putting the display up right after Halloween of setting up the display which requires over two miles of 12-guage extension cords!  He estimates that the cost over the years for purchases, storage and financing the running of the display has mounted to over $100,000 – all of which he pays for out-of-pocket. 

His biggest ongoing cost is the electricity bill.  It jumps from a typical $300/month to more than $2,500 for the month of December!

Friends have pointed out to him that he could use the $2,500 to pay for a vacation to go and see REAL LIVE PENGUINS in their natural habitat. 

But Craig says, “When you see the eyes of the little kids light up as much as the lights in the penguins, it just brings such joy to your heart.  Then the other part, the good part we’re doing is raising money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.”

All the donations visitors leave go directly to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society – none are used to help pay Craig’s bills.  And he’s raised over $50,000 in donations!

The past year Paul had surgery and was worried the Penguins were not going to get off the ground.  But friends and neighbors pitched in, and Paulie’s Penguins were soon flying high again

Well, okay – Penguins don’t actually fly.  But they sure make Holiday spirits soar!  And all while helping to find a cure for a disease that had robbed him of the Joys of Christmas Season …

[NOTE: The Slideshow is NOT AutoPlay, so hopefully it won't so loading down too much.  Click on the thumbnails to manually advance them at your own pace.]

(FOOTNOTE:  I’ll be heading up to spend Christmas with my Mom in Illinois, so this will be the last "Friday Fun" for a bit.  So hope you all have a Joyous Holiday – however, you spend it.)