On Friday, word came to Government Hill residents via the Nextdoor.com app:
“Government Hill residents we need your help. Jeff Fowler recently had surgery and is not able to put up the famous holidays lights in his yard. Every holiday Jeff spends days filling every square inch of his yard with lights and has been recognized by Anchorage Daily News and the various TV stations. It’s a wonderful gift he gives to his community. Jeff’s cousin has asked for your help. They need some able adults to help put displays together, lights to string, and hang this Saturday, November 22nd. Location: 409 East Harvard Ave 10 am to 5 pm.”
The Fowlers’ front yard, decked out in close to 100 illuminated characters, is a holiday landmark in the neighborhood, possibly visible from space. I wrote a column about it last year.
After the call went out for help, neighbors showed. Here are some pictures on the Government Hill Facebook page. KTVA did a story on the evening news.
It isn’t as elaborate as some years, but when I visited tonight, I could see the yard glowing from all the way across the bridge.