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 By JENNIFER TANGEMAN
Staff Writer
Few people exhibit an enthusiasm about historical artifacts as Jim Bowsher does.
When crews working for G.A. Wintzer and Son Co. started working to build new office space on West Auglaize Street, they came across some interesting finds where a rental home had previously sat.
Jim Kent and others of Kent Surveying began finding pieces of artifacts. They called in local history buff, Bowsher, to try to figure out what the bits and pieces meant.
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Silver Bells: Residents earn award in local contest |
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Thursday, 24 December 2009 |
By KRISTA HAYES
Staff Writer
After spending more than two weeks decorating their residence with strands of white lights, yards of garland and huge floral arrangements, a pair of Wapakoneta residents earned an award for their home decorating efforts.
The home of Lois and Ned Dammeyer, 1515 Springfield Ave., was judged by Wapakoneta Mayor Rodney Metz, and received an engraved bell Friday known as the Mayor’s Silver Bell Award in the Lincoln Park Homeowners Association’s third annual Christmas Home Decorating Contest that was held during the first week of December.
“Receiving the Mayor’s Silver Bell Award this year really was an honor,” said Lois Dammeyer, a member of the Decorating Contest Committee. “Anything Ned and I have done in the past to decorate our house for the holidays was done simply because we enjoy doing it, and next year we have even bigger and better plans for our display.”
In competing in the contest for their third time, the Dammeyers decided to try something different, adding more elegant and classy decorations to their display this year.
“We added four pedestals to our display this year that I built and covered in garland — two for the porch and two for in front of our garage,” said Ned Dammeyer, who began working on his display at the beginning of November. “On top of them are huge artificial floral arrangements made with blue and white lights, along with one we placed on our front porch. We also decorated what we have come to call our ‘mound’ out front, and hung up a white star in the front window inside our house.”
Metz said he was impressed with the Dammeyers’ decorative Christmas display and appreciated the Lincoln Park community asking him to serve as a contest judge yet again this year.
“I thought Lois and Ned’s display was very well composed in a way that made the house really stand out from the others,” Metz said. “It not only caught my attention but I liked the lighting and the way everything was arranged to illuminate both the inside and outside of the house.
“As a mayor, it’s always nice to see different communities and neighborhoods in the area getting together to hold events such as these while working to grow and prosper,” he said. “I really like participating in the contest and appreciate the Lincoln Park subdivision for giving me the chance to over the past two years.”
Going above and beyond the traditional hanging of Christmas lights and attempting to bring a special twist to decorating for the holidays again this year was Vicki and Tony Hefner, who received first-place in the “Best Use of Lights” category.
The couple decorated their house with Christmas lights that not only shined with bright colors, but they also portrayed emotion and animation as they flashed along to the different beats and rhythms of Christmas tunes.
“I think it’s nice that we won first-place in the category again this year, making it three years in a row now,” Tony Hefner said. “Last year, we received the Silver Bell Award from the mayor, and what I like about it is that the award gets to be moved around. The Dammeyers won it this year and in my opinion it was well deserved because their display was organized in such a way that it helped compliment how their house looks.”
With hours spent hanging up Christmas lights, wreaths, stockings and setting up nativity scenes as well as Santa sleighs and reindeers in their yards, other residents of the Lincoln Park neighborhood also reaped the benefits of their holiday-spirited efforts as well.
Those Lincoln Park residents who received first-, second- and third-place awards in each of the four categories of the contest are as follows:
“Christmas Elegance”
1st place — Helen and Gary Holthaus, 1510 Springfield Ave.
2nd place — Yuko and Jim Mankin, 1605 Springfield Ave.
3rd place — Carolyn and Jeff Schneider, 1609 Springfield Ave.
“Best
Religious Display”
1st place — Bev and Larry Cook, 1402 Gettysburg Drive
2nd place — Kami and Aaron Rex, 1414 Gettysburg Drive
3rd place — Sharon and Tom Sweigart, 1822 Abraham Court
“Best Use of Lights”
1st place — Vicki and Tony Hefner, 1613 Springfield Ave.
2nd place — Michelle and Devin Snyder, 1621 Springfield Ave.
3rd place — Julie and Rusty Allen, 1622 Springfield Ave.
“Best Use of
Christmas Characters”
1st place — Christa and Mark Bauer, 1618 Springfield Ave.
2nd place — Priscilla and John Elshire, 1617 Springfield Ave.
3rd place — Kathy and Bob Gearing, 806 Abraham Court
“Everyone who participated in the contest this year put in a lot of effort,” Lois Dammeyer said. “Although there hasn’t been much of an increase in participation over the past three years, we have seen more of an interest than in previous years with residents expanding their displays and being more creative in their ideas.”
In addition to receiving the awards and small Christmas gift items, Decorating Contest Committee members posted signs in the yards of the winners, acknowledging their decorating efforts. The awards are sponsored by the General Fund of the Home Owners Association each year, which regulates the construction of new houses and ponds in the neighborhood.
Wapakoneta 3rd Ward City Council Member and Auglaize County Solid Waste and Recycling Educator Bonnie Wurst, Wapakoneta Theatre Guild Board Member Joe Schlater and Hair-itage Place Owner Jayne Place and Hairstylist Kathy Oakman judged the event during the week of Dec. 14.
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Last Updated ( Monday, 28 December 2009 )
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