By Jim Newell

Review Editor

The Lights on the Lake Christmas light show is back, providing holiday cheer and supporting a good cause.

Lindsey-Anne and Rob Gawthrop started the light show two years ago.

“We’re hoping to make this a holiday tradition for people,” Lindsey-Ann said.

The light show runs 5-10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 5-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

“We will be running at least through New Years Day, and possibly up to the 6th (of January), depending on the demand. We will keep everyone posted on our Facebook page, Lights on the Lake,” said Lindsey-Anne.

Anyone who visits the light show – 439 Shady Oaks, off Heights Road – should tune their car radio to 91.3 FM for the musical part of the program.

Lindsey-Anne had taken her daughter, Lake, to Friendship Park and saw the Inclusive Whirl, a merry-go-round for children with special needs, after it had been installed and decided to pair the light show with a fundraiser.

The Orion-based group The Daisy Project –whose mission is to help families with special needs children obtain medical and recreational equipment that is not otherwise covered by insurance – installed the Inclusive Whirl, along with support from Orion Twp., as part of their Let Them Play initiative.

“We just wanted to do something that directly affects Lake Orion. Let Them Play, it’s a great charity. We would like to raise awareness and generate donations for this great cause.

“We have a donation box out front of the house so people can drop cash in there,” Gawthrop said.

The donation box is about 150 pounds, is chained in place and is under video surveillance.

The Gawthrop’s upgraded from LED lights in last year’s show to pixels this year.

“Every pixel can be controlled individually, and can be up to 16,777,216 different colors.

“Basically, it is highly customized, we are able to display low resolution images across the whole house. In short, make it a low resolution Jumbotron,” Lindsey-Anne said.

“The arches are the only things the same from last year’s show, otherwise it is all new, with pixels, different elements and a new software to run it, as well as new songs. Which we have been adding in as the show is running this season.”

This years songs are: Dueling Jingle Bells by the Navy Band, All I want for Christmas by Mariah Carey, Wizards in Winter by the TransSiberian Orchestra, Disco Santa by Holiday Express, Light of Christmas by Owl City, Can’t Stop The Feeling by Justin Timberlake, Dominic The Donkey by Lou Monte and a (glorious) snippet of the Michigan State Fight Song. Online at

www.facebook.com/lightsonlakeorion.