Casa del Pomba
House of the Dove
Christmas News
Bulletin
January 10, 2012
Christmas 2012 Grand Opening
Announced:
Deacon Dave Rezendes announced that November 30th, a Friday night,
the last Friday of November would be the Grand Opening and Blessing
of the Christmas Lights for 2012. The Usual Open is the first
Friday of December. However this being a leap year, we would
lose a week of display nights were we to open on the first Friday of
December. So the Deacon picked November 30th.
Christmas 2011 Wedding Proposals:
With the Wedding Proposal on New Year’s Eve night on Proposal Bridge
brought the total to 3 proposals for 2011 Christmas Season and 56
Wedding Proposals in the 29 years of Deacon Dave’s Christmas
Displays. Many a nervous single guy, ran over the bridge, lest
the magic of Christmas touch them.
Hidden Mickeys within the Christmas Display:
The Hidden Mickey’s within the Christmas Display a big success.
Young and Old, individuals and Families enjoyed the challenge to
find the 7 Hidden Mickeys in the Christmas Display. One 89
year old Grandma went through several times until she found all
seven of the Mickeys. Dave Graber who is in charge of that
part of the Display promises more challenges next year.
2011 Theme “Do You Believe”:
The Theme must have been very popular. Christmas Ornaments,
towels, plates and trays were found in stores everywhere.
Macys Christmas Theme was “Believe”. No Deacon Dave did not
organize this campaign. It was just a coincidence. But
be assured the Deacon and his Christmas Crew enjoyed seeing
“Believe” everywhere. “Do you Believe” seemed to hit home our core
beliefs said the Deacon.
2012 Theme ?????????:
Deacon Dave said that the Secret 2012 Theme will be a fun theme that
the Planning Team is already at work on. The Deacon swore the
Christmas Crew to Secrecy at their “Thank You Party and the Deacon
announced the theme. 2012 marks the 30th Anniversary of Deacon
Dave’s Christmas Displays and also the 30th Anniversary of his
Ordination as a Roman Catholic Deacon on December 4th.
Pixie II Marks first Christmas:
Deacon’s Kitten, Pixie II made it thru her very first Christmas.
Sealing ornaments, getting into the Christmas Wrap, pulling
Christmas Ribbon, Sleeping in the Nativity and getting booted out by
the deacon, flattening miniature Christmas trees in the window
village and in general being a kitten with much energy.
Training, Training and more Training. Whose Training who?
Deacon to Pixie or Pixie to Deacon.
Take Down January at the House of the Dove:
Light crew at work in the evenings taking down the 343,200 lights.
It is not just a matter of taking them down but rolling up each
strand of 100 and then testing and if all are working, wrapping in
newspaper. If in need of repair, then to that pile for repair.
The working Christmas Lights are stored on site in the Light Tower.
The Lights are stored and sorted by type, color and number per
strand. The Strands are in 25’s, 35’s 50’s 100’s and are also
sorted by LED or Regular. It is not an easy task. Good
Job to the Light Crew.
Decorators empty the buildings of the props, mark and place into
storage containers items used in the display buildings. The
tubs or containers are taken to the Prop Department for Storage
again on site. The Christmas Outdoor prop dept. has many items
stored that are used only depending on the Theme of the Display.
Many items are not used for years. Quite a job sorting and
storing them moving to the Prop Dept. Not an easy task.
Keep up the good work team.
Green Room is the site for storing the wreaths, garland and
Christmas Trees used for the Outdoor Display. Again the items
are taken down and carefully moved to the Green room on site of the
House of the Dove. Care is taken in carefully packaging the
items for the 6 month rest. Thanks Green Crew for care prep
and packing of the items.
Construction Crew, once the buildings are emptied, they begin
dismantling the wood structures. Care is taken to recycle the
wood for next year. No, the same buildings are not put up
every year. The front building is always built in a very
different style. The crew goes to pains to save as much of the
wood for the following year. Way to go Crew!
Complex Security System:
The Security System works 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a
year. The video recording system also provides still shots of
images for police review if necessary. The system is dual in
that it also sends signals on site and off site for record
retention. Watch out! You may be on camera. As a
side note, the neighbors approve of the Casa del Pomba Security
System as it already helped police identify and time of a home
break-in.
A Funny question:
During the Christmas Display just before closing for the night a
visitor approached Jeanie Haigh and Deacon Dave. The visitor
did not know who Jeanie and Deacon were. The visitor asked “So
where is he?” Jeanie responded “He …. Who?” Visitor:
“The Old Deacon. Is he in there asleep?” (with a
straight face) Jeanie responded: “No Deacon is right there” pointing
to Deacon Dave. Image of Deacon Dave in his rocking chair with
a shawl sound asleep. Amazing what the folks think.
Christmas Greeters:
Who are those people at Deacon Dave’s Door greeting the visitors?
We are attempting to staff Greeters on the busy nights posted at the
door of Deacon’s home. This is important for a visible
presence. The Greeters answer questions, watch the donation
box and monitor the residence door of the Deacon. Hard to
believe, but some people do attempt to sneak in.
The Crew sporting the Red Jackets also are Greeters and provides
security for the House of the Dove and Deacon Dave’s Christmas
Display. They too answer questions and provide a very watchful
eye.
Security Eye Patrol, Inc. Patrol Officers:
This year Security Eye Patrol had Patrol Officers visit the Display
during opening hours and return for closing. This was very
helpful and we thank the Security Eye Officers for their assistance
during the Christmas Season. Thank you Officers.
Vandalism Down this year:
We are happy to announce that vandalism to the Christmas display was
“zero” this year for the first time in memory.
Requests for prayers and blessing:
At times Deacon Dave stands at his front door to greet visitors.
Many folks request prayers for a specific need and many just ask for
a blessing. There was more of this type of request this year
than any other in the past. With the Economy and daily
challenges of life people do believe in the power of prayer.
Casa del Pomba (House of the Dove) is a private residence:
Deacon named his private residence “Casa del Pomba” (House of the
Dove). The home is privately owned by the deacon and is not
church property. Yes the deacon has a private Chapel on the
property. The Chapel of the Holy Spirit is not open to the
public. Some people were under the impression that the
property was some sort of Church. Wrong! It is private
property. Deacon Dave is a Roman Catholic Deacon assigned to
St. Michael Church. He is also the Roman Catholic Bishop’s
Representative to the Deacons of the Diocese of Oakland (Alameda and
Contra Costa County). He is also the Director of Deacon
Personnel. Maybe that is where the confusion comes from.
This year’s visitor count:
The electronic counter registered just under 40,000 visitors walk
thru the Gates of the Casa del Pomba. We do not count the
folks that just drive by.
Refreshments Stands at Neighbors raise funds for Charity:
One Hot Chocolate stand located at a corner neighbor’s property
raised money for “Animal Rescue. A Neighbor across the street raised
funds for Middle School Cheer Leaders. Hot Chocolate hit the
spot on the cold nights.
Grand Opening successful:
The 29th Annual Christmas Display Opened on a windless clear night.
The colorful Procession made its way down Hillcrest Ave to the
Darkened Home of Deacon Dave. Folks stood in the Dark awaiting
the arrival of the Procession.
On stage waiting for Procession with Deacon Dave, were Alameda
County Supervisor Scott Haggerty(pictured above), newly elected
Livermore Mayor John Marchand, Livermore Police Chief Steve Sweeney
and the past Mayor of Livermore, Marshall Kamena.
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St. Michael Catholic Church Choir led the Procession and
performed at the Opening Ceremonies. Asbury United Methodist
Church Handbell Choir was stationed at the stage site providing
wonderful sounds of Christmas.
The Good News Bears were on hand to serve refreshments to the crowds
at the exit gate of the House of the Dove.
Deacon Dave presented the following Awards:
“The Founders Award is presented to the person who early in the
Christmas Display years contributed their God given gifts and
talents in helping Deacon Dave Build the Christmas Display.
This person was a teenager who went to Livermore High School and
worked on several years of displays before going on to college.
This year “The Founders Award” was presented to Joey Vargas.
The Gold Star Award is presented to the person who is a current
member of the Christmas Team and who demonstrates outstanding
performance in helping build the Christmas Display. This
person contributes time, talent, long hours and maintains the
ability to rally the crew with the Spirit of Christmas. This
year Deacon Dave presented the Award to the Steve McGrogan family.
The Dove Award is presented to the person who is a current member of
the Christmas Crew and has demonstrated outstanding Technical,
Mechanical and Carpentry Skills in building the Display. This
person fosters Team Spirit in accomplishing the project. This
year the award was presented to Jim Trebes.
Channel 7 News was on hand to record the Christmas Light Display and
it was shown on the 11 o’clock News. Deacon Dave talked a few
minutes about the Lights and damage the Windstorm caused.
High Winds Destroy Thousands of Lights:
The Wind Storm that hit the Bay Area caused major damage to the
Christmas Lights. The lights high in the trees above the
residence of Deacon Dave were tangled, shredded and dropped to the
roof level. Many remained in the trees but the Deacon said
that there is much damage. The Light Crew will be working well
in to the night replacing the damaged lights. Deacon Dave said
that the Grand Opening will take place Friday December 2nd despite
the damage. A record number of Christmas Lights will be ready for
the opening. Deacon Dave said that this Wind Storm
reminds him of the Major Wind Storm in the 80’s that caused major
damage to the lights and display.
Grand Opening Friday Night December 2nd:
The 29th Annual Grand Opening of Deacon Dave’s Light Display and
Blessing of the lights will take place at 6:30 p.m. This Friday
night. The Rev. Deacon announced that the Light count has
increased this year. The candle light procession down
Hillcrest Ave. is a colorful event launching the 2011 Christmas
Seasonal Display. The Theme will be announced at the opening
ceremonies.
2012 30th Anniversary Display already in planning:
Deacon Dave began planning for next year’s display in August.
The Deacon plans a full year in advance for the Theme. The
2011 Christmas Crew will be sworn to secrecy and next year’s theme
will be announced at this year’s Christmas Crew Thank You Christmas
party.
Watching the Lights go up-up and up in the tall trees:
This year there were a large number of folks who drove by the “House
of the Dove” for the past several weeks. The folks were
watching the Light Crew on top of Deacon’s residence who were on 12
foot ladders and with 12 foot poles, putting up the lights.
The lights go up lit to insure that the string of lights is working
properly.
2011 Christmas Crew on Count Down:
One of Deacon Dave’s Lead Coordinators, Jeanie Haigh, stated that
the week before opening is filled with anticipation and excitement.
The crew puts in long hours at night and the “House of the Dove” is
a Buzzzzz like a Bee Hive with activity.
Santa’s Secret Service 2011 Program:
Deacon Dave’s Special Charity, Santa’s Secret Service received an
outstanding number of wrapped Christmas Gifts. Santa’s Secret
Service will distribute the Gifts to: Care Centers, Hospitals, Rest
Homes, Teen Group Homes, Shut-Ins, Poor Children, and Homes for the
Battered and Abused. The Rev. Deacon is the Secretary General
of the Organization and works directly with the Head of the
Organization who is the Arch Santa. Just who is the Arch
Santa? Well, that is a much safe guarded secret. Keep
the Secret of Santa’s Secret Service.
Security at the House of the Dove:
Technical Security Equipment has been upgraded at the House of the
Dove this year. On site cameras not only give a live view on
security screens but transmit to off site location for storage.
This safety system and film recording retention insures that even if
the security system at the House of the Dove is damaged, off site
systems will capture the images. We want our many visitors to
feel safe when visiting the House of the Dove.
2011 News Bulletin #1
Labor Day Weekend:
Construction started Labor Day Weekend for the 2011 Twenty-ninth Christmas Display. We were happy to have such a large turnout of volunteers. Deacon Dave provided lunch for the Christmas Crew. This year’s theme as always remains top secret. The crew now works on Saturdays until we get closer to December. Then Saturdays and Sundays are operative. Progress can be seen as the buildings rise. Paint crews are already at work for this year’s display. The Theme changes each year as the décor changes to match the theme. Crew member David Haigh says “it always amazes me that each year someone says oh! It is the same as last year.” In twenty-nine years it has been different each year. September First Date for beginning decorating the inside of the House of the Dove for Christmas. Yes, it takes from September 1st until December 1st to complete the inside décor. Last year Deacon had 43 Christmas Trees inside the Home.
Pixie II, also known as Miss Pix, Pixie, Pix Will be missed:
Deacon Dave’s beloved Cat Pixie died in early June. She had to be put down due to Cancer of the Jaw. Miss Pix was always active in the indoor decorating. Pix will be missed by so many fans and Christmas Crew members. She was a cat with an attitude that stole ones heart. Rev. Deacon finds it difficult to talk about Pixie II. Miss Pix is buried in the Garden of the Chapel of the Holy Spirit next to Pixie I
Security Cameras:
Additional Security Cameras have been purchased to cover the entire back grounds of the House of the Dove. Virtually all the buildings now have visible and hidden cameras as well as alarms.
David Graber presents Deacon with little Kitten:
Three months after the death of Pixie II, David Graber presented Deacon Dave with a gift. That being baby Pixie III. The kitten, like the two previous Pixies, is a calico and has taken to the Deacon and the House of the Dove quite well. She thinks she is in charge. Deacon is already worried how the Christmas Trees will with stand the new very active kitten. Training, Training and more training. Good luck with the trees Deacon.
Opening Date for 2011 Christmas Display:
The twenty-ninth Deacon Dave’s Christmas Display will open with the annual Christmas Procession down Hillcrest Ave. in Livermore, Friday December 2nd at 6:30 p.m. Folks will gather in the dark in front of the darkened display and await the arrival of the colorful Christmas Procession followed by the Opening Ceremonies.
Can you find Mickey Mouse?
Dave Graber (friend of Deacon Dave) for the second year will hide several Mickeys in the Display. How many can you find? Mr. Graber is sneaky so you will really have to search. There will be a sign at the entrance informing as to how many Mickeys are hidden. Hmmmm, where to look? It is fun for the kids to attempt to find them.
Symbol of Casa del Pomba (House of the Dove) turns 24:
Spiritus Sanctus I (Dove dedicated to God) turned age 24 in June. It is unheard of for a dove to live that long. Though Spiritus is an old man and no longer flies, he is quite happy. In the winter he lives in a warm location and in the summer he has his summer home. Spiritus was a good friend of Pixie II and there are many photos of Deacon holding both Pixie II and Spiritus. Deacon has often been seen in the window holding his Dove to the delight of the many passing visitors.
Bliss Food Center:
The Food Center build for Deacon Dave by John Bliss begins its second season for use by the Christmas Crew. The beautiful center is located in the Utopia Patio of the House of the Dove. Columns removed from St. Michael Church located at 4th and Maple in Livermore were originally used on the outside of Confessionals that were built in 1918. With the renovation of St. Michael Church in the 60’s the Confessionals were removed. Only two remain. The columns were stored for years and then given to the Deacon. The Food Center was named for the Builder John Bliss who also has been a part of building many Christmas Displays and a recent recipient of the Founders Awarded.
