Carefree Truth
Issue #555, March 20, 2017
Vice Mayor John Crane opened the 2017 Carefree Desert Gardens Awards Ceremony by welcoming everyone to the Sanderson Lincoln Pavilion. He said Saturday mornings are his favorite time of the week, and this one is especially great because we have Ray Villafane sculpting, the Thunderbird Artists show and we are in the Gardens for the Photo Contest awards ceremony. The Photo Contest is one of his favorites because we get to appreciate and enjoy the work of local photographers who come into the few acres in the Gardens and each year come up with great photos. This year every photo is better than ever. This is a function of their imaginations and patience and, if it were him, a little bit of good luck. The Vice Mayor turned the microphone over to the contest co-chairs Joe Corpora and me to announce the winners. He thanked everyone for participating.
I welcomed the photographers and agreed with the Vice Mayor that the photos entered keep getting better and better each year. As I announced the winners and their prizes (all prizes were gift certificates donated by Carefree businesses, as always), the winners came onto the stage one at a time to accept their prizes and point to their photos on the panels.
The 1st Place winner for the 3rd year in a row was Hazel Vaughn. She won a gift certificate to the English Rose Tea Room. Hazel also had a photo that got an Honorable Mention, with a gift certificate to Cafe Bink.
The 2nd Place winner was Wes Grunden, who was awarded a gift certificate to Carefree Bistro. His Honorable Mention photo garnered a gift certificate to The Lariat restaurant at the Carefree Resort.
The 3rd Place winner was Joyce Nelson, who won a gift certificate to Giordano's Trattoria Romana.
Dean Baker had 2 photos which got Honorable Mentions. He was given gift certificates to Alberto Ristorante and to The UPS Store.
Sherri Knutson's Honorable Mention photo won a gift certificate to Venues Cafe.
Jerry Rose, who was not present, had an Honorable Mention and a gift certificate to Cafe Bink. Jerry's prize awaits his pick up at Carefree Town Hall.
James Thomas had 2 photos which got Honorable Mentions. He won gift certificates to Venues Cafe and to The UPS Store.
Herbert Hitchon's photo of Ray Villafane's sand elephant playing chess with a mouse got an Honorable Mention and won the Public Favorite Award. My darling husband got a gift certificate to the Lariat restaurant at the Carefree Resort.
Joe and I thanked everyone for participating and for attending the ceremony. With Ray and his team sculpting sand tortoises and stacking rocks in the Gardens, Tim stacking rocks, the presence of the Thunderbird artists, and our fabulous photographers, I noted that we had a lot of talent in the Gardens this weekend. All the photographers came up onto the stage and Betsy Lynn took a group picture. The winning photos will be featured in the 2018 Carefree Desert Gardens Calendar, which will be available for sale at Carefree Town Hall in the early fall.
On behalf of the Town of Carefree, Joe and I thank all the businesses who faithfully donate gift certificates for our prizes each year. Thanks, also, to Vice Mayor John Crane, who does such a great job as our awards ceremony MC each year. We all have a lot of fun with this contest! Click below to watch the Awards Ceremony video.
Issue #555, March 20, 2017
Vice Mayor John Crane opened the 2017 Carefree Desert Gardens Awards Ceremony by welcoming everyone to the Sanderson Lincoln Pavilion. He said Saturday mornings are his favorite time of the week, and this one is especially great because we have Ray Villafane sculpting, the Thunderbird Artists show and we are in the Gardens for the Photo Contest awards ceremony. The Photo Contest is one of his favorites because we get to appreciate and enjoy the work of local photographers who come into the few acres in the Gardens and each year come up with great photos. This year every photo is better than ever. This is a function of their imaginations and patience and, if it were him, a little bit of good luck. The Vice Mayor turned the microphone over to the contest co-chairs Joe Corpora and me to announce the winners. He thanked everyone for participating.
I welcomed the photographers and agreed with the Vice Mayor that the photos entered keep getting better and better each year. As I announced the winners and their prizes (all prizes were gift certificates donated by Carefree businesses, as always), the winners came onto the stage one at a time to accept their prizes and point to their photos on the panels.
The 1st Place winner for the 3rd year in a row was Hazel Vaughn. She won a gift certificate to the English Rose Tea Room. Hazel also had a photo that got an Honorable Mention, with a gift certificate to Cafe Bink.
The 2nd Place winner was Wes Grunden, who was awarded a gift certificate to Carefree Bistro. His Honorable Mention photo garnered a gift certificate to The Lariat restaurant at the Carefree Resort.
The 3rd Place winner was Joyce Nelson, who won a gift certificate to Giordano's Trattoria Romana.
Dean Baker had 2 photos which got Honorable Mentions. He was given gift certificates to Alberto Ristorante and to The UPS Store.
Sherri Knutson's Honorable Mention photo won a gift certificate to Venues Cafe.
Jerry Rose, who was not present, had an Honorable Mention and a gift certificate to Cafe Bink. Jerry's prize awaits his pick up at Carefree Town Hall.
James Thomas had 2 photos which got Honorable Mentions. He won gift certificates to Venues Cafe and to The UPS Store.
Herbert Hitchon's photo of Ray Villafane's sand elephant playing chess with a mouse got an Honorable Mention and won the Public Favorite Award. My darling husband got a gift certificate to the Lariat restaurant at the Carefree Resort.
Joe and I thanked everyone for participating and for attending the ceremony. With Ray and his team sculpting sand tortoises and stacking rocks in the Gardens, Tim stacking rocks, the presence of the Thunderbird artists, and our fabulous photographers, I noted that we had a lot of talent in the Gardens this weekend. All the photographers came up onto the stage and Betsy Lynn took a group picture. The winning photos will be featured in the 2018 Carefree Desert Gardens Calendar, which will be available for sale at Carefree Town Hall in the early fall.
On behalf of the Town of Carefree, Joe and I thank all the businesses who faithfully donate gift certificates for our prizes each year. Thanks, also, to Vice Mayor John Crane, who does such a great job as our awards ceremony MC each year. We all have a lot of fun with this contest! Click below to watch the Awards Ceremony video.
Lyn Hitchon
Prepared by Carefree Truth
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Visit www.carefreeazbusinesses.com to see more info about businesses in Carefree. Please support our merchants.
Prepared by Carefree Truth
Visit our website at www.carefreetruth2.com If you know anyone who would like to be added to the Carefree Truth email list, please have them contact me. Feel free to share Carefree Truth with others on your list.
Visit www.carefreeazbusinesses.com to see more info about businesses in Carefree. Please support our merchants.