Patch to Present Davis, CA Public Schools with $100,000 Grand Prize Following Holiday Lighting Contest

Published on Wednesday, 25 January 2012 14:46 Written by TradersHuddle Staff

NEW YORK-( Business Wire )-

The city of Davis, CA will enjoy an extended holiday season as it prepares to receive one more gift: a cash prize of $100,000 to benefit Davis public schools. This financial windfall to kick off the new year is a result of Davis residents Kristy and Jim Powell having earned the title “Best Decked House.” The Powell’s earned this distinction by garnering the most votes in Patch’s “Deck the House” contest, a national search among the 850+ Patch communities for the best holiday home decorations. The Powell’s display earned them $500 towards their December electric bill and a $100,000 grand prize for their local schools. The check will be presented during the half-time festivities when the Davis High School Blue Devils meet the Elk Grove Thundering Herd at Friday night’s basketball game: January 27, 7:00 PM at Davis High School.

Davis Patch Local Editor Justin Cox and winning homeowner Kristy Powell will make the half-time presentation to Davis Schools Superintendent Winfred Roberson. “We are so excited and thrilled that the Davis School District will benefit from our winning the ‘Deck the House’ contest,” says Powell. “The community worked together; everyone was tweeting, posting on Facebook, and emailing the news. Our Mayor even sent out emails to the community! It was amazing to see what our community will do for our kids, and the students are the true winners!"

“On behalf of everyone at Patch I want to congratulate Kristy and Jim Powell on their win,” says Patch president Warren Webster. “We’re thrilled that the Davis community came together to support the Powells’ efforts in the contest — and that we can present this gift to Superintendent Roberson, School Board president Harris, the board, faculty, staff, parents and most importantly the students of Davis. We know they will put it to good use.”

The Powells’ winning display was titled “Candy Cane Court,” which is what their street is called during the holidays. Featuring wooden cut-outs hand-made and painted by the Powell family, the display included such iconic winter favorites as a gingerbread house, penguins, snowmen, train station, toy shop, elves, and of course, candy canes.

“Deck the House” is Patch’s third national contest to date. Prior contests were a Mother’s Day "Spaliday" sweepstakes in May of 2011 to give Patch moms a welcome spa retreat from their hectic lives, and “Patch’s Little Pumpkins Costume Challenge With Heidi Klum,” for Halloween 2011, in which the superstar selected the most creative costume of the season from thousands of photos submitted through the Patch community.

Launched in 2009, Patch more than tripled its UV traffic between December 2010 and December 2011, making it the fourth largest regional/local property online (comScore, January 2012). With the mission of becoming the most trusted source of local news and information via a platform of hyperlocal sites, it is managed by professional local journalists and photographers. Patch is also the premier online destination for residents who want to participate in discussions, post announcements and event information, share their perspectives via Patch's blogging platform, and get involved in their communities. In addition, business owners and advertisers benefit from Patch's unique ability to geotarget new and existing customers. Serving as the eyes and ears for what is happening at the grassroots level across the country, Patch is now in over 850 communities in 22 states plus Washington, D.C.

PatchSheila Jamison, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.