TODAY'S NEWS

Christmas decorating contest winners chosen Shenandoah Merchants Association

Judges of the third annual Christmas home and business cecorating contest, staged again by the Shenandoah Merchant’s Association, announced contest winners last week.
In first place for best decorated house exterior was Sandra Short, who lives on 8th Street. In second place was Robby and Sherry Wright, who also live on 8th Street. Robbie and Becky Shenk, who live on Grove Hill Road, took third place.
Taking first place for best-decorated town business was Dan and Brenda Haggett’s Enchanting Florals and Gifts on First Street. In second place, was Shenandoah Hardware Store, located in the Village Shopping Center on U.S. 340.
Third-place residential winner Robbie Shenk was pleased with the result. “Last year we got honorable mention; this year we placed third, and received a nice trophy, a beautiful flower arrangement from Enchanting Florals and Gifts, and a $50 check. It was nice,” he said.
Second-place winner Sherry Wright was quite enthusiastic about the contest results. “They had wonderful prizes. We got a fresh flower arrangement, a trophy and a check for $150. Everybody was just so nice.”
The Wright’s house included “shooting stars” lights on the edge of the roof, which in daylight look like ordinary icicle lights. But at night – Wright turns them on at 5:30 p.m. – the icicles appear to be melting, with light moving down each icicle.
“You’d think you are seeing drops of water fall off to the ground,” she said. “I’ve had three people knock at the door and ask where I got them.”
Spearheading the work of the contest were SMA President Brenda Haggett and Secretary Gary Patterson, who put in hours getting the contest underway. The job included getting one set of judges for the home contest and another set for the business contest.
“We had two people from outside Shenandoah, who had no connection to Shenandoah business, do the business contest judging,” she said.
The judges were given a set of criteria, or goals, on which to judge each business or house.
“These were things like attention to detail and overall theme,” Haggett said. “We change the rules a little each year to let different people win. And once someone is a winner, they can’t compete for the next two years.”