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Community Corner

City of Bowie Announces Winners of House Decorating Contest

If you didn't win the city's contest, there is still time to enter Patch's Deck the House contest with a prize of $100,000 to your school district.

The city of Bowie announced on its website the winners, along with pictures, of its 30th annual Christmas House Decorating Contest.

The first place award, including a grand prize of $125, went to the home of Vera Johnson, 2805 Folsom Lane. That award was sponsored by the Pirmohamed Family. The Johnson house “incorporates animation or other methods to intrigue children and encourage family interaction,” the city noted.

Matt Corley, the city’s special event coordinator, said Johnson passed away before the award was announced this week.

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“It’s a very fitting memorial to her,” he said.

The Johnson family could not be reached for comment.

The top point getter of all new contest entrants and a $100 prize were Marc and Laura Bashoor of 12703 Beaverdale Lane. That award was sponsored by the Mateik-Pitts family.

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Marc Bashoor is also the Prince George’s County fire chief.

“We took the entire Thanksgiving weekend, and it was a lot of work, but it was worth it,” he said.

Bashoor said he is donating his prize money to the city to give away smoke detectors to low income people.

Other contest winners are:   

Spirit Award (prize of a Bowie Railroad Museum ornament)
Sylvia Zborowski, 8005 Oat Ridge Court
Schreiber family, 12002 Terra Lane
Galentine family, 11901 Grady’s Court
Setera family, 13121 Oval Lane
Robey family, 6305 Grady’s Walk
Monroe family, 4107 Yardley Court
Tom Santanello, 12201 Tulip Grove Drive
Barbara and Steve Ditoto, 2420 Kelford Lane
Teofilo Maqui Jr., 12714 Midwood Lane
Lynn de Seve and Scott Seymour, 12105 Forge Lane

Best of Bowie Award (prize of a 2011 White House tree ornament)
Barbara and Don Beach, 12306 Starlight Lane
Sharp family, 2701 Kenhill Drive
Tony Begenwald, 3404 Medina Lane
Jim Graham, 1300 Palmyra Lane
Quinn family, 12704 Clearfield Drive
Mazzola family, 3900 Chapel Forge Drive
Mark Zimmermann, 16000 Partell Court
Ruth Drumm, 12419 Shawmont Lane
Jerry and Lois Anderson, 1732 Peachtree Lane
Keith and Donna Norris, 3514 Moylan Drive

While the city’s contest is over, the deadline to enter Patch's Deck the House contest is Dec. 26. The winner’s school district will receive $100,000—no strings attached. Here’s how it works: Nominate your home by uploading a photo to the contest entry form on the site. Through Dec. 26, you and your neighbors will be able to vote for your favorite festive home. The winning entry will be forwarded to a national Patch judge that will select 24 finalists. Each finalist will receive $500 that they can apply to their December electric bill.

From Dec. 30 through Jan. 8, 2012, you will be able to vote for the Best Decked House in all of Patch. The grand prize winner’s school district will receive a $100,000 check from Patch.

So, get out your lights and ladders (and your competitive spirit)! Whether your style is sophisticated or silly, we want you to dress up your house in the name of good cheer and our kids. At the very least, Bowie will be decked out like it’s never been before. And if we win, what better gift could we give to Bowie kids?

 

 

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