One businesses and four island residences were awarded prizes Wednesday night in the Island Celebration, a judging of holiday lights, sponsored by the Ocracoke Civic and Business Association.
The judging is organized by Teresa O’Neal, owner if Island Ragpicker, who with her husband Albert, drive three judges that Teresa recruited that day around the island to view the handiwork.
The following are the winners:
Best In Show (Business): Captain’s Landing
Most Traditional: Jason Elicker and Cathy Scarborough in Oyster Creek
Best Theme: Virginia, Clyde and Trudy Austin on Lighthouse Road
Most Original: Carol and Warren Richie on Irvin Garrish Hwy
Best In Show (residence): David and Kari Styron on Lighthouse Road
Winners receive the glory of a yard sign that designates their win.
Teresa said she recruited the educators who were on the island for an NCCAT retreat. They were two teachers and the principal of a school in Shelby:
Amber Carpenter who teaches eighth grade, Kelly Barger who teaches seventh grade math and science and their principal Dustin Bridges.
“Albert drove us down all the streets most of which didn’t have any decorations,” Teresa said in an email. “They had lots of questions about the island and island life and Albert is such a great resource of island knowledge.”
Teresa said the judges struggled with their choices because there were so many nice ones, and they didn’t want anyone to feel like they lost.
“So they were suggesting we come up with more categories,” she said. “They said as teachers they don’t like to leave anyone out.”
After judging was finished, Teresa gave each of them a goodie bag of items from her shop, including a sand dollar Christmas ornament, a bookmark with the Ocracoke lighthouse on it and a pair of Holiday Specs for looking at Christmas lights and seeing all sorts of images in the lights.
Really gorgeous lights, a fitting tribute!
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