Randall's Light up the Night to Support Regional Food Bank

Lifelong Moore residents, Frank and JoAnne Randall, owners of Randall’s Temperature Control Specialist, Inc., are once again lighting up the Christmas nights with a fantastic display designed to help raise money for the Oklahoma Regional Food Bank's Backpack food program.

The Randall’s get in Christmas mode early, taking inventory, checking lights, rewiring cords and repairing decorations. They make a list and check it twice to ensure all their holiday displays are in prime condition. They dust off the costumes and take on the role of playing Mr. and Mrs. Santa for their community too.

Many families have made the Randalls’ Christmas lights a part of their holiday traditions. Of course, a visit with Mr. and Mrs. Claus is always a big hit. The Randall’s find dressing up as Mr. & Mrs. Claus to be very rewarding as well. Perhaps it’s because of their giving hearts. Or, maybe it’s Frank’s grey hair that makes him at ease being Santa. Either way, they agree that the reaction and excitement of the children make it all worth it. Some times they see as much enjoyment from the adults as they do from the children.

“Kids have such excitement for Mr. & Mrs. Claus. They wave and yell to ‘Santa’ as they drive by. Sometimes they get out of the car and run to hug Mr. & Mrs. Claus…nothing is more rewarding for Mr. & Mrs. Claus.” Said JoAnne. “Dressing up as Mr. & Mrs. Claus can turn a very bad day into something wonderful in seconds.”

Over the years, the Randalls’ light display has become a local tradition, as have Mr. and Mrs. Santa. Their efforts have delighted hundreds of families and on occasion, truly changed lives.

JoAnne Randall recalled one year a couple stopped to thank them for “giving their children a Christmas.” The family had fallen on some hard times and did not have the money to buy Christmas gifts, so visiting their celebration of lights regularly was Christmas for their children.

There’s one display in the yard that is of special significance to the Randalls and their neighbors. In the yard along 34th Street stands a large blue tree called the Shelly Queen tree. The tree glows blue to honor a dear family friend who lived across the street from them. Shelly was in the last stage of cancer the year they dressed the tree in her favorite shade of blue. The tree was a special message to Shelly that she could see from her dining room window. They left the lights on the blue tree up that year until March 2, 2015, the date of Shelly’s passing. Blue lights continue to shine on Shelly’s tree every year.

Frank and JoAnne are happy to be bearers of cheer and joy, but it’s the message of the light and reminding all of “the reason for the season” that most inspires them. And this year, they are putting action to their Christian faith and asking others to do the same.

The Randalls have made the Backpack for Kids food program an integral part of their annual Christmas display. A donation box will be included in their decorations to support this program. Last year the display raised over $10,000 for the program, thanks to a matching donor.