Christmas light display brings family, community together
Burns Harbor light show raises money for Valparaiso domestic violence shelter The Caring Place
In a quiet subdivision in Burns Harbor off Indiana 149, if you turn the corner on Lake Park Road, you will see an amazing light display that is a work of heart from the Bozak family.
This is their ninth year of the light show programmed to music, and their opening night was Black Friday. However, preparations start long before that.
“We usually start the second or third week of October,” said Andy Bozak, the originator and maestro of the Bozak Family Christmas Light Show. “Our biggest holdup when setting up is the grass. If it is still growing, we have to take that into consideration.”
“The amount of electrical extension cords we own would blow most people away,” joked Bozak. “The reason is because every item you want to control individually has to have its own plug that hooks into light controllers. Most people can chain their lights, but we have to run separate extension cords.”
By “we,” Andy Bozak means his whole family. They all have nicknames and roles. His wife, Roseann is the Heart of Support and backbone of the operation; 16-year-old son Ayden is the Visionary Maestro; 15-yearold daughter Ava is the Helper Extraordinaire, and 10-year-old daughter Abriella and 5-year-old son Adley are the Design Dream Team. The light show started years ago as friendly competition between Bozak and his neighbor.
“He was a Cardinals fan, and I’m a Cubs fan,” said Bozak. “When he lived here, we competed in almost everything we did.”
“One year I decorated outside and then came inside,” said Bozak. “I come back outside and he had decorated and he had more, so I went to Menards, got more, and put more up the next day.”
“What happens the day after that, he put up more,” said Bozak.
“This went on for about two years and then I found out about computer-controlled light shows,” said Bozak. “Once I discovered what I could do, and that it was music and lights, I was hooked.”
The computer-controlled light
show, synchronized to festive tunes, is a spectacle of over 8,000 watts of electricity, featuring archways, a 25-foot mega tree and a 30-foot mega pole.
“I don’t know if I can stop, because my kids won’t allow it,” said Bozak. “My oldest has told me when he gets his own place, we are going to compete.”
When visitors pull up in front of the Bozak home, they can tune their car radios to 92.5, and hear Bozak family members talk about the donation box located on the corner. Six years ago, the family started taking donations for The Caring Place, a shelter for victims of domestic violence in Valparaiso.
“At the end of the season, 100% of the money in that box goes directly to this amazing organization,” said Bozak. “I have seen the positive impact they have in our community and we couldn’t be happier to be working with them.”
The feeling is mutual at The Caring Place, according to president and CEO Denise Koebcke.
“When I think of the Bozak family, I am always blown away by the incredible education Roseann and Andy provide their kids as to how to be exceptional, active and caring community members,” said Koebcke. “They are a unit; from the youngest member of the family, they work together to make a difference for others.”
Since 2017, the Bozak family has raised just under $13,500 for The Caring Place.
“The donations primarily are used for our upstream prevention of domestic violence and youth programming, the advocacy, education and awareness portion we provide to the community, and also toward client services,” said Koebcke. “I am proud to know the Bozak family and partner with them every year to serve our community.”
“Once it is all completely up and running, I sit back and see all the cars out front enjoying our show and get a little overwhelmed by the support we get from the community and our neighbors,” said Bozak.
“We have the most amazing neighbors,” said Bozak. “They don’t complain about the added traffic, and most of them encourage us to get bigger.”
“This is all about my family and the work we do together,” said Bozak. “All the families in the community we touch and get them in the Christmas spirit, and then to take it a step further it is all about the families we are able to help and lives we can touch by working with The Caring Place to help our community be even stronger.”
The Bozak Family Christmas Light Show continues from 4:30-10:30 p.m. on weekdays and 4:30-11 p.m. on weekends through Jan. 2 at 259 Lake Park Road in Burns Harbor. More information, updates and behind-the-scenes looks can be found on their Facebook page, Bozak Family Lights.