Long Island teen transforms trash into holiday treasure
Andrew Reid, a 19-year-old from Long Island, has created a dazzling Christmas lights display called “Misfit Island,” using nearly 100,000 lights and refurbished decorations donated by the community. FOX 5’s Jodi Goldberg has the story.
LONG ISLAND – One man’s trash is Andrew Reid’s treasure.
The 19-year-old EMT-in-training from East Northport in Suffolk County is spreading holiday cheer with his dazzling Christmas lights display, built almost entirely from refurbished decorations.
Dubbed “Misfit Island,” the display features nearly 100,000 light sand more than 500 decorations, thanks to contributions from the community.
“I was trying to raise money for kids with illnesses so I thought why not do a display and save things from the landfill as well,” Reid said.
A Community Effort
The display has become a labor of love for Reid, who invites the community to get involved by bringing ornaments for his newly added “misfit tree.”
“If anyone wants to bring their Christmas tree ornaments they could put it on the tree and then your ornaments will be part of my display, and you could see it every year,” he said.
From snowmen to snowflakes and, of course, Santa, this year’s display is significantly bigger than last season’s. Strangers stop by to see it for themselves and to show their support.
“It’s about giving back it’s what we should do,” said one man who drove more than an hour to donate to Reid’s blessed mess. “It’s what we should do this time of year.”
