LITHIA, Fla. — A Hillsborough County high school student turned her neighborhood Christmas light display into a way to give back to her community.
Ashlyn Cook is a high school senior. The majority of homeowners in her Fish Hawk Ranch neighborhood, Paloma Glade, decorate their houses for Christmas.
"It struck me when I saw all these lights were going off and the music was going on, but there was no benefit to the community other than pretty lights," Cook said.
Four yeas ago, Cook started a neighborhood food drive. She collects non-perishable food items and monetary donations for Seeds of Hope, a local nonprofit organization.
"It’s a time of giving," Cook said. "It’s not about what you get, but it’s what you can give to others and how you can help people out in your community."
It's free to drive or walk through the neighborhood to see the lights, but generosity is appreciated.
"I'm hoping this year to get to $10,000 and hopefully hit about 75 bags," Cook said.
Leda Eaton, director of Seeds of Hope, said monetary donations help pay for 400 hams. They plan to distribute the food to families in need on Dec. 19.
Eaton said the need for food has grown since the COVID-19 pandemic.
"We started out with 100 boxes before the pandemic hit and we consistently give out, every week, almost 350 boxes of food," Eaton said.
Eaton applauds Cook's actions to help others.
"It embodies everything that we do at Seeds of Hope," Eaton said. "Our mission is not just giving away food to people, which is awesome, we enjoy that as well, but equally important to us is that we give meaningful community service hours for students. Ashlyn was a huge part of that because she saw an opportunity in her neighborhood. It's nothing we generated."
Cook said once she graduates high school, her brother, Colton, plans to take over the holiday food drive.
"I wanted to keep on this tradition of giving to other people and helping our community through some hard times," Colton said.
For more information about the lights display, click here.
For more information on how to donate to Seeds of Hope, click here.
"He was just a very outstanding person."
Pat Carter, second cousin to Jimmy Carter, thinks back on her happy memories with the late president, including movie nights and lunches with special guests like the Pope.
