Wallyhood recently received sad news from our friend Sharon Ehrig, who creates a winter wonderland in her yard (3916 Woodlawn Ave) every year so Santa can sit on her porch and greet the children, young and old.
Unfortunately, Sharon won’t be able to decorate or to host Santa this year. Here’s what she asked Santa to tell us:
“I’m sorry to say that Santa will not be rocking on Sharon’s porch this year. Sharon can not take time to do the lights and everything nice to make Santa’s North Pole for arrival. Her yearly mammogram found a very early Breast Cancer. Sharon’s doing very well mentally & the surgery should be before Thanksgiving. Just tell the little ones that Santa hopes to be at the house next year.”
I contacted Sharon to make sure she really wants us to share her diagnosis with the neighborhood. Oh yes, she does. She returned my call with a rousing HO HO HO!, then explained she has a couple of long-time neighbors who also have breast cancer. They are all gardeners or spend lots of time in their yards. Sharon wonders if there is a cancer hot spot in the area.
She asks that readers use the Comments section of this post to identify areas that might be “hot spots” in Wallingford. Keep privacy issues in mind, please. Wallyhood will make sure Sharon gets your Comments.
A few other notes:
- Sharon is very optimistic about her health, and is much more upset about canceling Santa’s porch this year than anything else.
- Kind neighbors have already offered to put up decorations so Sharon doesn’t have to, but the yard would need more daily upkeep (especially if we get snow and ice) than Sharon can commit to right now. She’s looking forward to next year.
- Feel free to share this information as widely as possible. People are already starting to drive by looking for the lights, and she wants everyone who drives a long distance to know that the lights will not be up this year.
Wallyhood will post a Sharon-approved, kid-friendly message from Santa right after Thanksgiving that you can share with your young children.
I didn’t ask, but I bet Santa might appreciate some Get Well cards or other well wishes!
Without overly minimizing Sharon’s concerns (or make light of her health at all) I would like to preemptively remind readers that “randomly distributed” does not mean “evenly distributed” so clumps in the incidence (temporally or spatially) of sporadic events are to be expected.
I would also guess that most Wallingford residents have many aspects of their lives and lifestyles in common–any of which could conceivably contribute to some risk and make something appear more common than you might expect.
Sad news – She sounds like an absolutely wonderful woman. Thoughts are with Sharon and her family throughout the holiday season. Hope to see Santa back next year!
Thank you for the reminder, Rob. You are absolutely correct!
Oh the lights will be sadly missed, my five year old is utterly awestruck by them. I do wish her the very, very best for her surgery and future recuperation and we hope so much to see her and the lights back next year.
If it helps any she should know that her magical Christmas and Halloween lights have made at least one little girl very, very happy.
Well, I will certainly miss walking up to see Santa this year! However, I am sure ‘Santa’ wants Sharon to get healthy, well and strong for next year! Best wishes to Sharon and many wonderful thanks for all the fabulous holiday memories she has provided over the years here in our neighborhood.
The lights and the smiling, waving Santa will be sorely missed by this grownup girl , too, but health comes first. Best wishes for a full and speedy recovery!
Elly and I, my now 11 yr old daughter, wish her the best. We lived ’round the corner from year from El’s babyhood til Elly was 8. Fabulous.