Decorations are 'positive for the community'

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Growing up on a farm north of Wisner, Steve Biermann and his sister didn't always have the opportunity to go trick-or-treating.

However, Steve has now turned Halloween, which also happens to be his birthday, into a special celebration for those in the community.

Anyone driving by his home on north Sherman Street during the month of October will see that he takes pleasure in decorating for the holiday.

"I really try to decorate to make the display fun rather than scary. I think for me, because it is my birthday, I have more fun decorating for Halloween than Christmas," Biermann said.

This year has been somewhat of a challenge for Biermann, who said he built a shed on his property and has been busy on other projects. He said he got his decorations up later than usual. It takes several days to get them all up and in the proper position, but taking them down is generally a quick process.

"I have been living in this house for 11 years and since then have been decorating for Halloween. I add to the display each year. I want to do something positive for the community," he said.

All of the inflatable Halloween decorations are lighted and additional lighting has been added. They are all anchored so they will not blow away on windy days. He said his favorite in the display is Jack Skellington from the movie "The Nightmare Before Christmas."

In a normal year, Biermann said he takes the day (Halloween) off work to prepare for the trick-or-treaters and enjoys handing out candy. Parents have told him that his house is the last stop on Halloween, as a grand finale to the evening.

This year, he plans to leave small bags of candy on a table outside his home to help keep everyone safe.

"When I was younger, I didn't celebrate Halloween like I do now. I enjoy putting up the display so others can enjoy the holiday," he said.