OUTSIDE LOOKING IN
LIGHT 'EM UP!
The Mascot will be hosting its annual" Battle of the Bulbs" holiday lighting contest again this holiday season. We are hoping this year will be bigger and better than all previous years.
It's hard to believe, but this is already the fourth year of the contest. We have had a different winner each of the three previous years, which makes for better competition.
We are hoping to have 12 judges again for the contest, which makes the voting more fair. We have secured several judges already.
This contest is not just about winning, though. I originally started this four years ago as a way to bring a little cheer during the COVID pandemic. People were so limited as to where they could go and what they could do, so I felt this would give them a chance to drive around the area as a family and look at the various light displays. It turned out to be such a success that we have continued to hold it ever since.
There would be no contest, however, if not for the extreme generosity of businesses and individuals, who donate gifts and cash for prizewinners.
We have always included the communities of Minneota, Ghent and Taunton in the contest and are doing that again. Businesses and individuals in each of those communities have donated prizes in the past.
This contest is arguably one of the biggest in terms of prize winning amounts anywhere in this region. In the past, the winner has received $500 worth of prizes, second place received $250 worth of prizes, third place $100 in prizes, fourth place $75 in prizes, and fifth place $50 in prizes. The number of participants winning prizes is determined by the number of prizes donated each year.
Because of the many donations last year, we also gave out four turkeys and/or hams via random drawings. After the prize winners are chosen, we then place the names of all the others who registered for the contest into a hat and draw out names for the turkeys or hams. That way, people who may not be able to display a lot of lights can still enter the contest with a chance to win a nice prize.
If anyone would like to donate cash or a prize, please contact me at 320-894-6007. Any monetary donations received will be used to purchase gift items for the winners.
Last year's winner was Kim and Tom Abraham. Mark Sanow placed second, Steph Hennen and Matt DeVos were third, Austin and Shannon Dritz fourth, and Josh Anderson fifth.
All gifts we purchase with monetary donations are purchased locally to help small businesses, including turkeys and hams.
Don't feel you have to go "all out" in order to register for this contest. A small number of lights still shows your holiday spirit and helps light up the town. Plus, you have just as good of a chance to win a prize as those with the large displays.
A registration ad appears in this issue of the Mascot. Good luck to everyone. Let's light up the area.
SANTA HAS A TOUGH JOB
Not only does Santa Claus work hard at the North Pole, he also has a tough job away from the North Pole, as evidenced on Saturday.
Seated on stage at the American Legion for photo opportunities or for the children to tell him what they would like for Christmas, Santa told me about some of the difficult times he has had with children, such as being asked to bring back a deceased grandparent after asking the child what they would like for Christmas.
"I wasn't prepared for that when I heard that the first time," Santa said. "Or, if they ask for an expensive gift, I have to just say that I will see what I can do."
As Santa and I were chatting, one-year-old Ezekiel Almjeld was curious about the man in the red suit. He sat on the stage, but kept his distance at first. Soon, he crawled a little closer to Santa, stopped and looked back at his mother, Stephanie, then turned back toward Santa as if he weren't sure if he should proceed closer or not.
Ezekiel's mother eventually picked him up and stood beside Santa with the child in her arms. Feeling Ezekiel was comfortable enough, she then handed him to Santa for a photo opportunity.
Figuring this would make a good photo for the paper, I aimed my camera and fired a shot just as Ezekiel decided to throw his head back and scream before starting to cry. I captured the photo (see front page) and the family and I had a good laugh after looking at it.