News : Koopman light display continues tradition, and shows changes in American culture

A young boy reaches to put a donation in 'Shorty,' the giraffe.

Snowfall added to the Christmas feel at the Koopman light display northwest of Vinton.

Before Scooby Doo filled American homes with his peculiar words and howls, Vinton residents saw and heard the lighted displays at the Larry Kersten farm northwest of Vinton.

Before Winnie the Pooh, and Tigger too, made it to TV, Kersten was turning heads each holiday season, and more and more residents came from greater distances to see how his display grew year-to-year.

Before Cabbage Patch dolls (1978), Care Bears (1981), Precious Moments (1989) -- and even before the first man on the moon (1969), -- Larry and Carolyn Kersten were capturing the new trends in American culture and making them part of their constantly-growing display of thousands of lights, and static and moving Christmas displays.

As each of the above characters and events became part of America's culture, they also became part of the display now maintained and set up each holiday season by Larry and Carolyn's daughter, Heidi Koopman, and her husband, Dean.

Along with the traditional displays of the Nativity and Santa and his reindeer (and some comical Santa displays), Kersten often added parts of American culture to his display. Blondie and Dagwood are there. The Flinstones, too. Even the 101 Dalmatians (yes all 101-- you can count them yourself). Always patriotic, the family added more displays to honor America and American soldiers following 9/11.

Heidi Koopman said she tries to add something new each year, and she and Dean are also kept busy maintaining and repainting the displays, some of which are nearly 50 years old.

The Kersten/Koopman display resumed in full-scale this year, after a limited version in 2011 caused by the wind storm which damaged many of the trees on the property. The display will remain lit through Dec. 27.