ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1995, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, December 21, 1995 TAG: 9512210031
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: E-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: LAURA ZIVKOVICH STAFF WRITER
A Christmas bear standing near the end of Barbara Harris' driveway welcomes passers-by to stop and enjoy her holiday wonderland.
White lights cover the lower shrubbery; colored lights line the bare branches of the taller trees.
Respectful onlookers - a white deer, Mrs. Claus and a snow couple among them - keep watch from a distance as manger-scene characters quietly go about their business in the center of the yard.
Harris, a Salem resident, is the winner of the Angel Award in the Festival of Lights contest sponsored by the Roanoke Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Neighbors section of The Roanoke Times and local governments in the Roanoke Valley. The award recognizes the best entry with a religious theme.
"Oh, I'm so tickled, because that's what I wanted to display - the Lord," said Harris whose holiday display includes two manger scenes, many lighted figurines, and 13 Christmas trees, most of which can be seen through the many windows in her house.
"I've been decorating for 10 years now," said Harris. "I just love Christmas. It [the display] is a gift to people who love Christmas."
Another Salem resident, Dorothy Weeks, took two awards: Best House and Best Window Display. Weeks usually begins decorating for Christmas in September, but she said, "I started in July this year because I had surgery on my foot."
She does have some help. "Usually on Thanksgiving, my son-in-law does some of the larger trees," she said. A friend helped her paint her Nativity scene figures.
Her window display features figurines in the form of dolls, snowmen and a reindeer merrily mingling amid lights and greens. Just inside, a white tree with red ornaments shines brightly.
It was also a window display that earned one of three awards for George's business display, the best business window display and the all-around best business entry. "We've always done the windows because of the line of business we're in," said George Clements, owner. he added, though, that it is the first year the store has featured an extensive holiday display.
"About six weeks worth of work was put into it," he said. "We used 15 or 16 boxes of 300 lights. The day we pretty much finished it we saw the ad for the contest in the paper."
Another business award winner is Lucas and Boatwright CPAs whose traditional display includes 10 wreaths and 31 candles.
"I was in a Christmas mood this year," said David Lucas, a shareholder in the corporation. "One of my employees filled out the contest form. We're very pleased [to win]."
Roanokers Bobby and Joyce Poff spend their spare time in the months before Christmas preparing the wooden cutouts that adorn their yard. "She does the painting, and I do the cutting and putting together," said Bobby Poff.
"We enjoy this time of year," he said. "I try to bring up something new every year because I'm retired and a woodworker. Even our Christmas tree we try to make different. We've got a closet that must have enough decorations for 10 to 12 trees."
The Poffs won the Elf Award, not because they have the most elves of all the entries - which they do - but because the judges considered their display to be the funniest. (No doubt because of Santa's unfortunate situation; he caught his rear on fire on the way out of the chimney.)
It will be hard to top, but says Bobby Poff, "I've already got some ideas for next year."
Other winners are: Paul Adams, Star Award for best use of lighting; Barry and Judy Ferrell, Dickens Award for best traditional display (residential); Norman and Joy Hundley, Santa Award for most colorful lighting; the Vinton Chamber of Commerce and the Vinton Association of Merchants and Professionals, North Pole Award for best neighborhood or business. Andrew and Hazel Artrip and Wayne Parish received an honorable mention for the Star Award. Phyllis A. Scott also was recognized with an honorable mention for the Santa Award.
LENGTH: Medium: 96 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: ERIC BRADY/Staff. Elf Award - Most Humorous Decorations:by CNBBobby and Joyce Poff, 212 Cherryhill Road N.W. 2. DON
PETERSEN/Staff. Star Award - Best Use of Lighting: Paul Adams, 1230
Campbell Ave. S.W. 3. DON PETERSEN/Staff. Santa Award - Most
Colorful Lighting: Norman and Joy Hundley, 2932 Hollowell Ave. S.W.
4. DON PETERSEN/Staff. Rudolph Award - Most Creative Display
(residential): Roger S. Fuller, 1737 Arlington Road S.W. 5. DON
PETERSEN/Staff. Rudolph Award - Most Creative Display (business) 6.
Snowflake Award - Best Window Display (business); and Best Business
Award: George's ... an affair with flowers, 430 Church Ave. S.W. 7.
ERIC BRADY/Staff. Snowflake Award - Best Window Display
(residential); 8. Best House: Dorothy Weeks, 601 Bowman Ave., Salem.
9. DON PETERSEN/Staff. North Pole Award - Best Neighborhood or
Business Area: Downtown Vinton, Vinton Chamber of Commerce, Vinton
Association of Merchants and Professionals. 10. ERIC BRADY/Staff.
Dickens Award - Best Traditional Display (residential): Barry and
Judy Ferrell, 7247 Twin Forks Drive N.W. 11. ERIC BRADY/Staff.
Dickens Award - Best Traditional Display (business); Lucas &
Boatwright CPAs, 318 Washington Ave. S.W. 12. ERIC BRADY/Staff. Home
of Barbara Harris, 163 Forest Drive, Salem - Angel Award, best
display with a religios theme (ran on E-1). color.