If you’ve been down M-22 in Glen Arbor over Glen Lake then you’ve probably noticed a unique Christmas display in the water.
It’s called the Glen Lake Christmas Tree Boat and it’s been a tradition for neighbors and the Siepker family for the past eight years.
The Siepker’s take a live 12 foot Christmas tree, they decorate it with lights then put it in a row boat and send it out into the lake. The boat is suited with a solar panel and battery system as well as timers. The mastermind behind the project, Frank Siepker, says they’ve done a lot of research over the past near decade to make sure they have everything right.
“We usE DC converters, we use DC LED Christmas tree lights that are low voltage and don’t require us to step up to high voltage AC like you have in your home,” Siepker explains. “We time the lights so they’re on in the evening and off at night to save power. Then they come back on in the early morning as people are driving across the bridge to work or school.”
The Siepkers say the boat brings holiday cheer to neighbors and doubles as a beacon for Santa Claus.
“This Christmas Tree Boat lit up floating on the lake has become a great asset to the community. Everybody really enjoys it. It brings a lot of cheer to the families and the friends, and the visitors who are driving across the bridge and get to look out and see the floating lights. We appreciate everyone’s support, and it’s something we’re going to keep doing,” Siepker says.
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