WINNERS ANNOUNCED IN CHRISTMAS TREE DECORATING CONTEST

Downtown Indiana, Incorporated has announced the winner of their annual Christmas tree decorating contest.

(Erin Dougherty, Vice President and Branch Manager/Business Banker, for First Commonwealth Bank, accepts the winner’s plaque from Joyce Sharman of the Downtown Indiana Board.   Photo courtesy Downtown Indiana, Inc.)

The winner was the tree decorated by First Commonwealth Bank.  The tree generated the most donations.  The field included eight participants, including The Artist’s Hand, 7^th Street Marketry, First Commonwealth, Indiana Arts Council, the Indiana County Tourist Bureau, Indiana County Woodturners Association, Insomnia Cookies and Trees for Troops.  Each group decorated a tree donated by Musser Forests and those trees have been on display inside the Atrium in Downtown Indiana.  The public voted on their favorite tree by putting a financial donation into the box at each location, with all the money raised going to Renda Broadcasting’s Teddy Bear Fund Drive.

(Joyce Sharman of the Downtown Indiana Board presents Dave Fairman of the Indiana County Woodturners Association with a plaque in recognition of the Woodturners’ efforts to raise $640 for the Teddy Bear Fund Drive during the Downtown Indiana Christmas Tree Decorating Contest.   Photo courtesy Downtown Indiana, Inc.)

While First Commonwealth was named the overall winner, the Woodturners Association was also awarded a special plaque that recognized their efforts to raise $640 for the Teddy Bear Fund Drive by holding a silent auction for the handmade ornaments on their tree.  All told, over $1100 was raised by the contest.