Scottland Lights partners with Groton Food Pantry

If you have ever driven on Route 38 (Peru Road) in Groton in the dark during the Christmas season, you have likely seen the incredible light show that has graced the home of John and Beth (Underwood) Scott, 411 Peru Rd., since 2008.

Most everyone who has seen it makes pulling off on the shoulder of the road an annual “must-do” on their holiday season checklist to experience the joy and the magic of hearing the Christmas music that syncs with the lights so perfectly.

Beth, a 1985 Groton High School (GHS) alum, was born and raised at 104 Roosevelt Ave. She grew up loving Christmas lights because her father, Ellard Underwood, decorated their home with a plethora of lights and decorations from the early 1950s until his death in 1994.

“People would come from everywhere, not just Groton, to see it every year,” Beth said. “But I just didn’t have the wherewithal to do what my dad had always done until I met and married John.”

John grew up on Staten Island, New York. He was born with glaucoma, a condition he’s lived with throughout his life, but things degressed for him to a point where he developed cataracts. Unfortunately, he suffered a retinal detachment as a result of cataract surgery, rendering him legally blind and no longer able to continue his work with the New York Telephone Co. in Amsterdam, New York.

Circumstances brought John to this area in 2001, and he met Beth. They were married on Christmas Eve, 2002, residing at 104 Roosevelt Ave. Beth immediately asked John to put her father’s Christmas lights up. They had not been seen since 1994, so it was a delight for her to have them bring joy to the community again.

In 2004, the Scotts built their Peru Road home, carrying on the tradition of decking the home with beautiful Christmas lights every year. By 2008, it had become a “destination” for holiday light-seekers, just as Roosevelt Avenue had been in years gone by.

At that point, John switched things over to add music to the lights, with a few iterations over the years. John now uses a Falcon Pixel Controller so that he can utilize pixels for his lights with a Raspberry Pi computer, allowing him to program the lights and music together via direct current and wireless internet.

Most songs are about three minutes long, and on average, it takes John about 40 to 60 hours per song to program the lights to sync with them! On top of that, there is also quite a bit of time involved in designing the sets outdoors each year. Beth assists him with the design ideas, and their son, Lawrence, is John’s “right-hand man” for getting the displays physically in place.

The show has grown bigger and better every year, and John is very grateful to have the help from Lawrence, who is a 2014 GHS alum who also earned his computer technology certificate from the TST BOCES.

Both men get busy on the roof around September with the physical displays, and Lawrence has the know-how to take charge of all the wiring that needs to be done.

In 2019, the Scotts connected with Cayuga Medical Center and set up a donation box on the right-hand side of their driveway. That year, they collected $358, and in 2020, they were able to donate $1,408.

“This year, we decided we really wanted to keep our contribution to the community in Groton,” John said. “And I suggested to Beth that the Groton Food Pantry [GFP] would be ideal. They help so many people, including us from time to time.”

Beth wholeheartedly agreed, so she and John contacted Jessamine Stone, the GFP coordinator, with their idea, and Stone was thrilled.

“I am excited to partner with the Scotts this year,” Stone said. “Their Christmas display is something we have all come to love and enjoy each year. About 10 years ago, I realized how important those lights were to me. Having a very ill baby in the NIC unit a week before Christmas, I parked outside their home on Christmas Eve. Watching the lights, a feeling of hope and peace settled over me. Their lights blessed me in a special way that year.”

Stone, who has been coordinating the GFP for the past three years, explained that “bringing hope and a feeling of peace to families who were struggling” has always been her goal from the beginning.

“When John and Beth approached me about donating funds to the pantry, I felt that same sense of hope and peace come over me that I experienced that Christmas Eve 10 years ago,” Stone said. “This year has been hard for the pantry. The pandemic has taken a toll on me, the staff and the community. Their support was just a reminder to me, like their lights were so many years ago, that we are not alone in this. An amazing community stands behind us, and for that, I am thankful.”

To experience the incredible Scottland Lights show, it will run daily until Jan. 6, beginning at 5 p.m. and looping until 10:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and until 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The entire show lasts approximately 90 minutes, but stopping by for any length of time is well worth it. Pull your vehicle off to the side of the road, tune your car radio into 89.7 on the FM dial, relax and enjoy!

Groton on the Inside appears every week in Tompkins Weekly. Submit story ideas to editorial@vizellamedia.com or text or call Linda at (607) 227-4922.

In brief:

Reverse Advent Calendar

The Groton Food Pantry (GFP) coordinator, Jessamine Stone, would like to invite anyone in the community to participate in a Reverse Advent Calendar project, which involves an individual, family, business, sports team, classroom, local club, etc. partnering with the GFN to add items each day of Advent into a box of provisions for a family in need. Those who volunteer to build a box will receive a four-week calendar with food items to add to the box each day.

While the calendar began on Nov. 29, it goes through Dec. 16. It is not too late to catch up! Completed boxes can be dropped off at the GFP, 101 McKinley Ave., on Dec. 16 between 6 and 7:30 p.m. or Friday, Dec. 17 between 9 and 10:30 a.m. Boxes may be picked up by recipients (Groton residents only) on Dec. 17 beginning at 11:30 a.m.

For questions, or to be involved, contact Stone at grotonfoodproviders18@gmail.com or on Facebook as “Jessamine Stone Pantry Coordinator.”

Capital project vote

Don’t forget to vote on the Groton Central School District’s proposed capital project from noon to 9 p.m. Dec. 7 in the District Office. Eligible voters are all those who are 18 years of age or older and reside within the Groton Central School District boundaries. Voters do not need to own property to be eligible.

The project will have zero impact on the tax levy due to a combination of state funding and the district’s capital reserve fund and will address necessary upgrades to infrastructure and athletic facilities and the conversion of some space in the elementary school into an open-plan science lab space.

Groton Community Choir performances

Under the direction of Ginny Casey, the Groton Community Choir will present its 71st musical cantata, “Hope Has Come to Us,” arranged by Bradley Knight, Daniel Semsen, Cliff Duren and Joshua Spacht, on Dec. 4 at 7 p.m. at Dryden Baptist Church, 138 Virgil Rd., and Dec. 5 at 3 p.m. at Groton Assembly of God, 701 S. Main St.

Crown City Brass will also be performing. Light refreshments will follow each performance. There is no charge for the concerts, but donations will be gratefully accepted.