North Carolina Coneweed: Unusual holiday attraction helps local families in need

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. — A little weed growing out of a traffic cone in Huntersville, dubbed Coneweed, gained national attention when some secretive little elves started decorating it with some holiday cheer.

Now the Christmas miracle is gaining even more recognition for how it is helping local families in need.

After the Huntersville community fell in love with the little weed on Beatties Ford Road, Erin and Brian Blackmore designed a Coneweed shirt. All the proceeds from the shirts went to their charity, HopeMatch.

HopeMatch provides holiday assistance to people in need in the Charlotte area.

[#ConeWeed: Decorated traffic cone weed has raised more than $3,700]

[NCDOT on #ConeWeed removal: 'Didn't mean to be a Grinch']

The Huntersville Fire Department promoted the shirts and more than $21,000 was raised.

“It’s been crazy. We could have never predicted something like this,” Erin Blackmore said. “Every ounce of that money is going to be used, not just here at Christmas, but is going to be used through the whole year.”

The money raised allowed HopeMatch to provide Christmas gifts for 115 families who are down on their luck. Their goal was to only help 100 families.

Channel 9 got an exclusive look inside the warehouse where all the presents were wrapped and ready to be delivered to local families.

“We don’t make a big show about delivery. We literally just show up at a house with cardboard boxes and say, ‘Merry Christmas,’” Brian Blackmore said.

“Very grateful for Coneweed,” Erin Blackmore said.

Coneweed was accidentally removed by North Carolina Department of Transportation crews. Officials said crews removed it because it was so close to the road, and lots of drivers were slowing down to look at it.

The Coneweed remnants were given to Huntersville Fire Department’s Station 2, which is across the street from where the weed was growing.

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