Holiday light show helps bring community spirit to FLW housing

By Amanda SullivanDecember 19, 2019

Holiday light show helps bring community spirit to FLW housing
Staff Sgt. Michael Roberson, an instructor with Company A, 58th Transportation Battalion, and his wife Pia have put together a music-synchronized holiday light show in on-post housing this year. The show is located at 165 Newburg St. in the Eagle Poi... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

For three years, Staff Sgt. Michael Roberson, an instructor with Company A, 58th Transportation Battalion, and his wife Pia have been helping to build a sense of community with their music-synchronized holiday light show on Fort Leonard Wood.

The show allows viewers to tune their radio to 92.3 FM, and watch the light show synchronized to 12 songs from the comfort of their vehicle.

The Robersons have always enjoyed decorating the outside of their home with lights, but after arriving at Fort Leonard Wood, Michael said he was ready to take on the challenge of a synchronized show.

For months he taught himself how to code, sequence the lights and calculate wattage and determine how many amps he could run.

"I always wanted to do it," he said. "I decided to start researching and teaching myself."

He has lost count of the number of lights he uses, but for the Robersons it is about more than personal goals and enjoyment -- it is about making a positive impact on the community.

"It gets others involved and it builds up community spirit," he added. "If one person does a light show you notice that the whole street is getting involved. The neighborhood kids love it. I know a lot of our neighbors who never put up lights are now putting up lights."

Pia is proud of her husband's efforts and the joy the show brings.

"What he does brings encouragement to the community," she said. "I completely support what he does -- he has a great skill and I am very proud."

Putting the lights up isn't the only time-consuming task -- it takes a week to 10 days to put everything away after the holidays and then Michael starts preparing for the next year's show.

"It's like my Christmas gift to myself, I will buy more lights right after Christmas," he said.

This is the Robersons' final holiday season at Fort Leonard Wood, but Michael plans to create a new show at his next duty station.

The show is located at 165 Newburg St. in the Eagle Point neighborhood and runs from 6 to 9 p.m., seven days a week through December 27.

Related Links:

Maneuver Support Center of Excellence and Fort Leonard Wood Facebook

Maneuver Support Center of Excellence and Fort Leonard Wood

Fort Leonard Wood GUIDON Newspaper