For nearly 15 years, Miller’s home at 1502 Second Ave. N. has been a source of holiday cheer for neighbors and passersby with his festive display of inflatable Christmas decorations filling his yard.

However, due to some recent vandalism, Miller had decided it was too expensive and took too much effort to keep repairing and replacing the damaged decorations.

But when the Fort Dodge community found out, several individuals and organizations stepped up to preserve this holiday tradition.

Miller said the Fort Dodge Fire Department donated $400 to buy new decorations. The Fort Dodge Community Foundation and United Way also set up a fund for Miller’s display to continue to add new decorations, as well as install security cameras to try to deter future vandalism.

-Messenger photo by Kelby Wingert
Donnie Zabel, of Fort Dodge, helps tie down some hockey-playing snowmen in the yard of Bill Miller on Saturday morning. Friends and family came to help Miller put up his inflatable decorations that he previously took down because of vandals.

“The joy these decorations bring to Miller’s grandson as well as the citizens of Fort Dodge is very much worth the small investment,” according to Randy Kuhlman, chief executive officer of the Fort Dodge Community Foundation and United Way. “There is no better time to show our community spirit and restore some Christmas magic for the Millers’ grandson, Connor, and for our community.”

Miller’s 10-year-old grandson, Connor Brokaw, lives with epilepsy and spina bifida, and one of his favorite holiday activities is helping his grandpa turn on the display each day. Brokaw especially enjoys seeing the Santa in a fire truck decoration — a reminder of his friends down the street at the Fire Department who come to help him when he gets really sick.

When Miller told The Messenger last week of his plans to discontinue the tradition, he didn’t expect this kind of community response — he just wanted to let people know because he had gotten a few curious questions from people who noticed the yard was nearly empty.

“The people in this town want them back up,” Miller said. “They’re upset because the Christmas spirit is totally gone from my yard.”

But now, that Christmas spirit is back where it’s meant to be. On Saturday, joined by a small crew of family and friends, Miller began to put the inflatables back in the yard.

-Messenger photo by Kelby Wingert
Bill Miller, of Fort Dodge, sets up his Santa's fire truck inflatable in his yard on Saturday, as grandson Carter Brokaw helps. The fire truck is his grandson Connor Brokaw's favorite decoration.

Brokaw has been in the hospital at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, for the last week with pneumonia, Miller said. He said he was worried about how heartbroken Connor would feel when he came home from the hospital to an empty yard.

Brokaw is recovering well and is set to have surgery to implant a pacemaker that will help with his seizures, Miller said. If all goes well, he’ll be coming home soon to a yard full of Santas and snowmen and reindeer and more.

Miller said that while they’re up in Minnesota, they’re going to shop around for more decorations to add to the collection.

Citizens interested in donating to help replace the Christmas ornaments and inflatables can make a donation to the Fort Dodge Community Foundation and United Way. Online donations can be made at www.fd-foundation.org, or by mailing a check to the Fort Dodge Community Foundation and United Way, 24 N. Ninth Street, Suite B, Fort Dodge, IA 50501.