9 minute read
SEASONAL SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT
LightUpLima.com (567) 208-0551
Submitted by Zach Everett, Owner, Light Up Lima
My wife has always said that I am an “idea man.” My grandpa and my mother are both the same way, so I guess I come by it honestly. From a young age I was taught to work hard, pay attention to detail, and always do the best job that I could. I had considered installing Christmas lights for many years before I moved to Lima three years ago. There was always a lot of competition in South Texas for Christmas light installation companies. When we moved to Lima, I noticed that there were no other companies that really focused on installing professional grade Christmas lights. A friend from Texas encouraged me and off we went. Our first year we installed around twenty-five homes and businesses. Seeing the joy that installing Christmas lights brought to people after the Covid lock down, really inspired me to continue to help bring that joy to more people’s lives. When a car slows down to admire the lights, I know that a little bit of joy was brought to someone in that moment.
One of the biggest reasons to hire a professional company to install your Christmas lights is simply safety. Every year 12,000 to 15,000 people are injured from installing Christmas decorations and around 100-200 people die each year. (CPSC) We use a lot of safety equipment as well as undergo training to ensure that we are using safe practices when installing lights on homes.
On a less serious note though, we provide a superior product than what most homeowners can purchase themselves. Something most people don’t see or realize is that we actually screw in every light bulb before we ever arrive at a home. Our lights are custom cut to fit your home perfectly. (No extra lights hanging down the side!) Our bulbs come with a three-year warranty and are rated for 60,000 hours of life. The bulbs can last for nearly 13 years although the socket line probably won’t last that long. A great perk of using a professional company is that if something does go wrong like a bulb going out or the lights falling down, we come out and fix it. (Even in the snow and freezing cold.) Speaking of cold, no one really wants to go outside in January to remove their Christmas lights! So we bundle up and move as fast as we can in order to stay warm and remove all the lights and decorations from our customers’ homes. Lastly, we store all the lights for our customers. If your garage or basement is anything like mine, there isn’t a lot of extra space to store a bunch of lights, wreaths, garland, a tree, and other decorations. It makes it easier for us to install the next year and takes something else off the plate of our customers.
One last service I want to highlight is permanent RGB lighting. There are a few homes in the neighborhood that you might see lighting up for every holiday, birthday, party, or special occasion. We install RGB lights by Inception, which means that you can control what color or pattern your house is doing at any time, all from your phone. Inception Permanent Lights are nearly invisible during the day, but allow you to light up your home or business to help bring that same joy to every person that comes by.
Visit our website at LightUpLima.com for a fast quote or give me a call at 567-208-0551.
A Closer Look at Zach Everett & His Family
I was born and raised in Texas, but went to Franciscan University where I met my beautiful wife. We have been married for ten years now. Six of those years we were in Corpus Christi, TX, and then we moved to Lima in 2020 to be closer to her family. I have worked for the Catholic Church in some capacity for the last ten years. I currently work part time at St. Charles Borromeo here in Lima as the Director of Evangelization and Discipleship. My job at the parish is to help adults learn what it means to be a follower of Jesus. My third job is a soft washing/ pressure washing business which fits in well with the off-season of Christmas lights (idea man, remember). When I get home from one of my three jobs, I spend time with my wife and our five awesome children. We try to stay involved at our parish, and spend time with my wife’s family as much as we can. We enjoy bike riding, disc golf, board games, and planning and planting our garden.
Advent and Christmas in our house are a pretty big deal. We enjoy our traditions and the general warmth and good cheer of the season! Some favorites include the Jesse Tree which is an Advent countdown, stockings on the feast of St. Nicholas, decorating our home, picking out our tree (our favorite is the balsam fir), spending time with family and friends, and of course driving around to see the lights. We always pack red and green chocolate candies for the kids and the grown-ups get a fancy Biggby Coffee!
by Tara Reynolds Bales
Want to shop like Oprah without leaving Lima, Ohio? If so, grab your purse and meet me at Jean and Lily’s Fashion Boutique in downtown Lima at 220 North Main Street. You will find an outfit for any event on your social calendar. Need a classic black dress? A hat for a Derby party? A pair of jeans, sweater, jacket, or a fun handbag? You will find it all at Jean and Lily’s Fashion Boutique.
I needed a new dress for the October 2022 Lima Symphony Wine Tasting event. At the recommendation of a few friends, I went to Jean & Lily’s to find that perfect dress. Since shopping is always more fun with friends, I invited Ann and Lisa to join me. We walked into the boutique and were immediately greeted by Linda Hampshire, boutique owner. Linda loves encouraging women to shop out of their comfort zone. She educated us on each designer in the boutique and looked stunning in her kelly green layered dress from a designer called Made In Italy, which is super popular for dinner dates, cruises and weddings because of how it can be dressed down and up! Linda is a retired Linda Hampshire, Owner teacher who has a passion for style and fashion and we became students of style at Jean & Lily’s.
We learned the boutique is named after Linda’s mother, Jean, and her mother-in-law, Lily. Jean made Linda’s clothes as a child. She gives her mother credit for nurturing a love of style and fashion. Lisa was looking for a stylish, comfortable, casual outfit to wear out for dinner. Linda styled Lisa in a Frank Lyman sweater and jeans. Frank Lyman is a Canadian designer that is an internationally renowned brand. The black zebra print sweater, worn with black jeans is a smart look for Lisa. The got-to-have gold with pearl necklace completes Lisa’s relaxed yet stylish look.
Ann Meiring
Ann was our trendsetter. She rocked a pair of liquid leather pants by Clara Sunwoo, a mother/daughter design team, who is a favorite of Oprah. Once you try on these pants you will share the love with Oprah! Ladies, these faux black leather pants are in vogue and are a musthave. The pants hugged all the right places. If you have a pair of red heels, you need this Frank Lyman plaid style sweater jacket. Trust me, go to Jean and Lily’s and pick up a pair of leather pants for the upcoming holiday parties. You will be so happy you did!
An added plus to shopping at Jean and Lily’s was meeting other shoppers in the boutique. Janet and Marie are Carlton House neighbors and shared their love for Linda and the fashion offered at Jean and Lily’s. Janet loves her liquid leather pants with a black and white Picasso-like pattern hooded sweatshirt. This fall-weather go-to sweatshirt by Insight is a staple piece. Janet stated, “Look at me!” as she beamed with confidence. She credits Linda with helping her find her fashion groove.
Watch out Lima! Here comes Marie in her head turning, hot-rod red leather jacket by Insight. Marie normally wears dark colors, but Linda encouraged her to step out of her comfort zone. Marie stated, “I think I can handle the color” and thanked Linda for giving her the
confidence to wear this bold statement piece.
As I mentioned earlier, I was looking for a black dress. I found it – but you will have to wait to see the dress in my next article. When I asked for an exciting outfit, Linda said, “More is more and less is a bore.” She handed me a pair of amazing, jeweled Frank Lyman jeans. Viva La Paris!! These jeans are soft, comfortable, and have enough give so I can dance the night away. Paired with a waist-length belted black leather jacket by For Her and the fun blinged out round handbag, I am ready to go out with my friends.
Marie Leopold
Tara Reynolds-Bales
Shopping at Jean and Lily’s Fashion Boutique was a meaningful experience for all of us. We loved the individualized customer service. Linda knows how to make her customers feel important and special. The boutique is oozing with style and fashion. The selection available at Jean and Lily’s is impressive and you are guaranteed to find exactly what you didn’t know you needed. It is no surprise that Linda is known for her quality merchandise and impeccable style. Shopping at Jean and Lily’s you can do just as Linda tells her customers, “Make a statement wherever you go.”
Shawnee Life Magazine readers will receive 20% off one regular priced item!
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