Sunday, December 23, 2007 COMMUNITY THE POST PAGES louse decorators win big in Kingston Twp. contest By REBECCA BRIA rbria@timesleader.com Rick and Lois Connors had an off year for decorating. Exhausted af- ter a wedding and a graduation for their children, Lois asked her hus- band to go easy with the decorating this year. Rick did go easy, but still did enough for the Connors’ home to be selected a winner in the 2007 Kingston Township Holiday House Decorating Contest. “It’s exciting, but my husband does all the decorating,” Lois said. “He really gets into it; he really loves it. 'm kind of shocked be- cause wereally didn’t have all of our ‘decorations up this year.” The 2007 Kingston Township Holiday House Decorating Con- t was held beginning at 7p.m.on esday, Dec. 12. Judges visited e six homes that were entered in- to the contest. They also drove around the township looking for other nicely-decorated and festive homes. Each winning household received a $50 gift certificate to Lowe’s Home Improvement Cen- ter. The holiday decorating contest is sponsored by the Kingston Township Recreation Board and has been in existence for at least eight years. This year’s winners are: Ann Rushinski, 20 Division St., Shaver- town; Rick and Lois Connors, 205 Bunker Hill Rd., Kingston Twp.; Anthony and Suzanne Caravaggio, 144 North Pioneer Ave., Shaver- town; and Donald and Aimee Aus- tin, 235 Carverton Rd., Trucksville. Rick and Lois Connors, along with Lois’ daughter, Amanda Brooks, live at a winning house on Bunker Hill Road They were entered into the contest by the Connors’ daughter-in-law, Denise Connors. L] It took Rick about two days toful y decorate the outside of the family home. He outlined the entire roof, sides of the house and porch with lights; placed an inflatable 12-foot snowman and globe in the front yard; and put up other decorations. Lois helped decorate the porch by ‘hanging wreaths and bows. . Lois says their neighbors jokingly ‘make fun of them for decorating so much for every holiday but the ‘neighbors and passersby think the house looks nice. Of course, the proc- ess always hasn't been so smooth. “When wefirststarted doingit, we kept blowing all our circuits,” Lois @: “He (Rick) had to learn where Mo plug everything in. Weld go, ‘Oh my God, we blew another circuit.’ But he’s got it down pat now.” Though she is unsure of exactly how they will spend their $50 at Lowe's, Lois keeps kidding Rick about buying more lights and deco- rations. Donald and Aimee Austin, along with their children, 4-year-old Bren- don and 19-month-old Brooke, live on Carverton Road, in another of the winning houses. “We were surprised,” Aimee said, admitting she doesn’t know who entered her family in the con- test. “We weren’t expecting it at all. Anthony and Suzanne Caravaggio, along with their children Tony, Michael and Gabrielle, in front of their home in Shavertown, a winner in the Kingston Township House Decorating Contest. We were putting the kidstobed and the dogs started barking and we found out what happen The family started decorating about three days before Thanksgiv- ing and gradually put up things up until they finished on Thanksgiv- ing Day. The front of the house and roof are framed with multi-colored lights. Lighted spiral trees, candy canes, snowflakes and deer line the yard. Aimee says they have some- thing new every year. Brendon helped his dad by un- tangling cords and placing things where his father told him to but it was cold on decorating day and the youngster kept knocking on the door to go in the house. The Austins say they will proba- bly spend their $50 prize on more decorations Ann Rushinski and her partner Rich Holthaus decorated their _RE ALTY AHNORLD 1OURIGAN REAL ESTA ROBERT HOURIGAN LUE ge] HO) Gift Certificates Available Package includes: Relaxing 30 minute Massage Refreshing Express Facial Pampering Sakari Pedicure ll alia -2-08 to 1-30-08) Valued at $60 (No substitutions) 900 Rutter Ave « Forty Fort (Just off the Cross Valley in the Big Brick Building) 570.287.4045 www.sakarisalon.com home on Division Street extrava- gantly and won the contest. “I am kind of shocked, but I work hard every year and I've never en- tered a contest before,” Rushinski said. “Everyone keeps telling me I should because I put alot of work in my house.” Rushinski began deco- rating the Monday after Thanks- giving and spent two weeks to com- plete the masterpiece. Her proper- ty is covered with candy canes, San- ta, reindeer, inflatable items, lights, and more. “I decorate for every single holi- day,” she said. “And if there’s no ho- liday, in the summertime I'm deco- rated with pink flamingoes.” EK OA EN AEX a kK 1 3 ¥ » * mK CHARLOTTE BARTIZEK PHOTOS/ FOR THE DALLAS POST Does your back yard look like this? This yard is a winning design for Ann Rushinski and Rich Holthaus in the Kingston Township House Decorating Contest. Rick Connors dusts snow off his house decoration on Bunker Hill Road, an award-winning entry in the Kingston Township House Decorating Contest. Rushinski wants to use her gift card after Christmas to buy discount- ed decorations. She says she always buys her decorations at an end-of- season sale, but recently risked rainy and icy roads to purchase a 3Hoot Charlie Brown at a midnight sale at Ollie’s Discount Outlet. Like the Connors family, Rushin- ski says it took time to figure out the electrical set up. 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