Animated light show wrapped up its 17th year

Contributed photo
Wadena-based artist GP Anderson makes his annual donation to East to Project Share, the local food shelf in Wadena, sharing all the donations given by visitors to Anderson’s “Christmas in Wadena” display. In the past 17 years, Anderson’s donations total $30,000 and more than 6,400 pounds of food.

As the 2024 Christmas Season has concluded, GP Anderson, creator of the “Christmas In Wadena” animated light show gathered up the food, momentary gifts and headed East to Project Share, the local food shelf in Wadena. Upon his arrival, meeting Director Mary Ann Hagen, they loaded, unloaded and weighed 311 pounds of food to help fill the shelves. Anderson also handed her a check in the amount of $1,796.65 from this year’s donations.

Over the past seventeen years, “Christmas In Wadena” has collected over 6,407 pounds of food and $29,180.99 with 100 percent going to the food shelf.

“To truly relieve hunger in our community, it’s important that we first transform the thinking behind hunger relief,” said Anderson. “Providing a bag of groceries to a person in need today is obviously important. But how do we make it so that person isn’t in need tomorrow? Implementing sustainable systems that feed our neighbors in immediate need while helping them get back on their feet and in position to help others is the key to ending the cycle of hunger. It’s becoming increasingly clear that providing our hungry neighbors information about available resources is just as important as the food source itself. What good is a food source if no one knows about it?”

“Christmas In Wadena” is an animated light show to music created, produced, edited, mixed, built, and maintained by local artist, GP Anderson. Thousands and thousands of people have visited the free display over the past holiday season. Numerous local, regional newspapers, television shows, radio stations and social media have raved about it as a must see event.