GERMANTOWN, Md. (WDVM) — A Germantown resident makes it his mission every year to spread the holiday spirit throughout the neighborhood.

86-year-old Vince Gibbs, who battles cancer, decorates his house from top to bottom so his neighbors can have something to look forward to each year.

 Gibbs has spent the past twenty years bringing the Germantown community together through his holiday decorations.

He spends days preparing his home for the holidays to create a Christmas wonderland and says it gives his neighbors something to look forward to and gives children the spirit of Christmas.

“It makes me happy to see my neighbors come together and share the holiday spirit. It has been a rough year and a half, but we should always try to keep the holidays alive,” said Gibbs.

Gibbs has battled cancer twice and struggles to walk, but he does not let his limitations stop him from keeping up with this tradition, and community members couldn’t be more grateful.

Bobby Lawson is a roofer with Westend roofing and exteriors. While driving through the neighborhood he quickly noticed Gibbs’s home. He offered his assistance and gave the 86-year-old a new roof. Lawson knew this home decoration was something special and needed to be preserved.

“I am just honored to help create memories that will impact the community. I was just driving and noticed his roof might give out and which would put an end to this tradition, so I quickly stopped and met with Mr. Gibbs, and now I’m not only a roofer, I help bring the holiday spirit to the community,”

Vince says he has something special planned for this year, and he encourages everyone to come out to Golden Meadow Drive in Germantown to check it out.