To the Editor:

With the home-bound gloom of 2020, Canton was enlightened and lighted up by many homeowners this year in both the village and the rural town of Canton, so we came up with a new a "Holiday Home Decorating Contest" and now are announcing the winners chosen by five judges, the prize donors, and the grandchildren honorees for each prize .

With Covid-19 mask and space guidelines observed, the three winners will be awarded their prize money checks, Monday noon, January 4, in the Heritage Island small pavilion on Canton's West Main Street Grasse River bridge. A limited number of guests are invited. People can watch from their cars in the surrounding parking lot.

The Canton Chamber of Commerce was invited to be co-sponsor of the event, with Chamber Executive Director Tammy Mackin teaming with Mr. Mintener on coordination and logistics. "This was a good start for our first year, with many homes lighting up, so we look forward to building on the event in 2021, with ideas welcome from the community." said Ms. Mackin.

Liz and Bill Thomas, 50 Finnegan Road, won the $250 prize in "the Best Decorated House" category. Donors are Kathy and Michael Crowe, 51 State Street, naming their five grandchildren as honorees: MacKenzie Shehan (South Hills, NC), Catherine and Maya Sanchez Crowe (Ottawa, Canada), Talai and Aiden Crowe (Natick, MA); and two great grandchildren, Layne and Hadley Shehan (South Hills, NC).

Colleen and Curt Ross, 8 Howe Boulevard, won the $200 prize in "the Best Decorated Outside Trees'' category. Donor Jane W. Lammers, 9 University Avenue, named her two grandsons, Silas and Colden Hill Wheeler (Sunnyvale, CA) as her honorees.

Diane Letourneau and  Bob Ahlfeld, 45 State Street, won the $100 prize in "the Best Children's Yard Art" category. Donors Joseph and Shirley Lamendola, 27 Fairlane Drive, named as their honorees, grand sons Spencer Bruce, student, Columbia University, New York City and Parker Bruce, student McGill University, Montreal, Canada.

"We thank our five contest judges for their effort and enthusiasm," said Mr. Mintener: The judges were: Kelley Glasgow, Canton elementary school counselor; Greg Kiah, Canton high school art teacher and varsity girls' soccer coach; Paula Jones, Canton 5th grade teacher; Ashley Maready, new Executive Director, St. Lawrence County Historical Association and former Curator of Collections and Exhibitions, Erie Canal Museum, Syracuse; and Paul Mitchell, former St. Lawrence Plaindealer Editor for 30 years and present fundraiser for the St. Lawrence County Historical Association.

Brad Mintener

Canton's 36th Annual Holiday of Lights Committee