In partnership with Mercer University and Live at Lofts, the Macon area Habitat for Humanity hosted its annual Light More Homes "Flip the Switch" event on Thursday.
Attending the celebration was President Bill Underwood, Vice President Penny Elkins and Executive Director of the Macon area Habitat for Humanity, Ivey Hall, among other faculty, staff and students.
Middle and high school students from around the Middle Georgia region, in addition to Mercer university students, competed in programming the light sequences and accompanying music. A pair of students from local private school Stratford Academy won the newly-added “overall” category.
Angel Mancio ‘26, who went to high school in Macon, won third place among Mercer’s contestants. Mancio said that his work on his light show took about three weeks to complete, but he said that the Light More Homes celebration was one of his favorite parts of the holiday season.
“I’m from Macon, Georgia and I love how Mercer likes to help out the community in Macon. So this is partnered with Habitat for Humanity, so Light More Homes around Macon, Georgia, and when I heard about this opportunity to help them support their foundation, I decided to jump on board,” Mancio said.
Once the countdown reached zero, Mercer students and Macon residents delighted in the lights of the dancing bulbs, listening to the music as it rang out through Mercer Village.
Gabriel Kopp '26 is majoring in Journalism and Law and Public Policy at Mercer University. He has written for The Cluster since he started at Mercer, and currently works as co-Editor-in-Chief. When he isn't studying, he enjoys going for runs and reading The New York Times or the AJC while sipping coffee.
