Ventura residents get in holiday spirit with contest

    The holiday spirit was burning bright in Ventura this holiday season.  Multiple honors were handed out last week for the 2011 Holiday Lighting Contest.
    Bob and Val Formanek’s home at 210 Park Lane was awarded first place in the Festive & Spirited category, earning them $500.  First place and $500 went to Pete and Paula Halverson at 13 Crystal Heights Place as the most Imaginative & Creative.

    In the Festive & Spirited category, second place and $300 went to Bob and Rebecca Storbeck at 202 Park Drive.  Third place and and an electric grill was awarded to Ken and Deb Schroeder at 509 W. Lake St. 
    In the Imaginative & Creative category, the Doug and Lisza Phinney home at 204 West Lake St. took second place and $300.  Third place and $250 went to the Robert and Kathryn Haag home at 301 West Lake St.
    Honorable mention,  was given to five households.  The Jay Dyre home at 5 3rd St. was presented with $100.  The Russ Weisensten home at 109 Nelson St. and Jessena Olson home at 5 S. Weimer were given $75 Cenex gas cards.  The Bob and Connie Hackenmiller home at 115 Hillcrest St. and Gordon Wilson home at 5 Crystal Heights were both presented with $25 Fareway gift cards.
    Contest sponsors were: Five Star Co-op Elevator, Farmer’s State Bank, Edwards Brandt Insurance, Lake Fireplace & Spa, Veenstra & Kimm Engineering, Clear Lake Bank & Trust, Hancock County Co-op (Ventura Mart) and Fareway.