Placement: Proclamations and Special presentations
Action Requested: Discussion
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Award Presentation - PSLinLights Holiday Light & Yard Decorating Contest Winners
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Submitted By: Melissa Yunas, Communications Department
Strategic Plan Link: The City's Goal to enjoy culture, nature and fun activities.
Executive Summary (General Business): The City of Port St. Lucie challenged residents to untangle their lights, pull out the inflatables and start decorating for the fifth Annual #PSLinLights Holiday Light Contest.
Presentation Information: A 20-minute awards presentation for the sixteen PSLinLights award winners of the 2020 Holiday Light and Yard Decorating Contest. Staff will pass out certificates, yard signs, and prizes to the winners. Winners and City Council Members will pose for pictures by prize category. Communications will show a brief video of the winning contestant’s homes, plus highlight the winners from ‘Tis the Season Holiday Facebook Premiere Event which occurred on December 22 at 7 p.m. and the Photo-Op Contest.
Staff Recommendation: The City brought back the popular #PSLinLights Holiday Light and Yard Decorating Contest during the 2020 season. Port St. Lucie residents were able to utilize the City’s website and email to submit photos of their homes decked out with holiday lights and yard displays. The City then posted these photos and their addresses to the PSLinLights webpage allowing residents to vote on their favorite display of the season during the voting week, January 5 to January 7, 2020. There were three categories to win.
• The first category was “New Kid on the Block”, this category was for first-time residential entries, the City would like to recognize:
1. Gold place is awarded to Crystal Alban at 1609 SW Cameo Blvd. She will receive a decorative yard sign and a $100 gift card.
2. Silver place goes to the Bitetto Family at 1842 SE Floresta Dr. They will receive an honorable mention certificate and a $50 gift card.
3. Bronze place is awarded to the Terranova Family (Frank & Brenda) at 949 SW Abingdon Ave. They will receive a $25 gift card.
• The second category in the #PSLinLights Contest was “PSL Showstopper”, this category was for the best overall PSL residential light display. The City would like to acknowledge:
4. Gold place is awarded to Philip & Breana at 718 SW Amber Terr. They will receive a “PSLinLights Winners” yard sign and a $100 gift card.
5. Silver place goes to the Longhorn Family (Mitch & Rhonda) at 477 SW Ryan. They will receive an honorable mention certificate and a $50 gift card.
6. Bronze place is awarded to Diana Richard at 1057 SW Facet Ave. She will receive a $25 gift card.
• Sponsored by the Neighborhood Services Department, the “Light up the Neighborhood” award is the third category in the PSLinLights contest. Sandhill Crossing was the neighborhood with the most entries in any one NICE neighborhood. Ten residents decorated their homes winning the title of the City’s most festive NICE neighborhood. They will receive a $25 gift card each. The City would like to acknowledge Marcus and Valerie Grant; Alex Kraeger, The Seadon Family; Ivelissee and Gladys Mendez, Christopher and Therese Calvo; Ronnie and June Hamburger, Alan and Angel O’Bryant; The Roth Family, O’Berry Family and The Ferrari’s. A plaque with the neighborhoods name will go on the trophy.
Background: PSLinLights fifth annual holiday contest. This residential, outdoor holiday decorating contest was a festive way to demonstrate community pride, promote engagement, and light up the 2020 holiday season. Residents were able to sign up online beginning November 20, 2020, through January 3, 2021, at www.CityofPSL.com/PSLinLights. Winners were announced publicly on the City of Port St. Lucie’s website and social media accounts, Twitter and Facebook, on January 8, 2021. This contest was free to enter.
Special Consideration: In 2018, PSLinLights won a Public relations Radiance Statewide award from the Public Relations Society of America for community relations.
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Analysis: There was an 87.5% increase in the number of homes that entered the contest from 2019 to 2020. In 2020, 120 homes entered the contest (In 2019, 64 homes entered the contest). There were 88 contestants that entered for the first time.
In lieu of the PSLinLights Holiday Lights Bus Tour, the City premiered on Facebook, the ‘Tis the Season Holiday Event, which aired on Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2021. The show zig-zagged viewers around Port St. Lucie visiting seven private residents who went over-the-top with their holiday lights displays. The event also featured City owned facilities that were adorned with lights. The interactive show included holiday trivia, caroling by City employees and two cooking lessons by St. Lucie County Public Schools. The following trivia winners have already received a $25 gift card: Mary Stamereilers, Pamela Mitchell; Jessica Brady, Lisa Brown; Eileen Adams, Crystal Alban; Sue Ollis, Mike Feathers; Jesse Brown Purchas, Jessica Lynne Stephens; Justin McCown, and Liz Cascella.
Over 18,887 people viewed the show, making it the City’s most watched video for the month of December. Analytics included:
• 18,887 Facebook Reach
• 3,414 Facebook Engagements
• 847 Facebook Comments
• 90 Facebook Shares
• 1,375 YouTube views
Top Facebook comments:
• The whole family is having fun this is great! Jesse Brown Purchas
• I love the lady that kept laughing!!!! Michelle Miller
• Great job love it thank you Donna Hinchman Mealy
• Happy Holidays!!! PSL is the best place on earth! Eileen Adams
• Nice job PSL ... enjoyed the tour. Pamela Mitchell
• Thank you so much for including my home in your special. I appreciate it so much. Merry Christmas Crystal Alban
Photo-Op Contest
New for 2020, the City hosted a Holiday Photo Op Destination Contest on its social media platforms. Participants were encouraged to visit one and/or all nine photo-op displays. There were 20 contestants and the winners were chosen at random:
• Facebook, Sue Rowe received a $25 gift card.
• Twitter, Krys Armenia received a $25 gift card.
• Instagram, Ben Mack received a $25 gift card.
There were four people that visited all nine destinations and Marcela Heysqueirdo was the overall winner and received a $50 gift card plus bragging rights.
Location of Project: Throughout the City of Port St. Lucie
Attachments: 1. Video of winning contestants
NOTE: All of the listed items in the “Attachment” section above are in the custody of the City Clerk. Any item(s) not provided in City Council packets are available upon request from the City Clerk.
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