The Fort Walton Beach Woman’s Club has announced winners of its first Festival of Trees and Holiday Tree Trek competition, which united local businesses and community members in a holiday-themed contest benefiting local scholarships.
- Kyleigh Schindler claimed the $500 grand prize in the Holiday Tree Trek competition, which challenged participants to photograph themselves with decorated trees at participating businesses throughout the city. Schindler went to all 46 locations.
Mayor Dick Rynearson selected Fokker’s Restaurant for the Mayor’s Choice Award, citing their creative use of chicken wing ornaments. The Downtown FWB Organization Choice went to Salt Hop Brewery for their innovative tree featuring stars crafted from beer cans and hop lights.
The Fort Walton Beach Library earned the Woman’s Club President’s Choice Award, with President Linda Evanchyk praising the tree’s engineering. Artesano Boutique received recognition for Most Unique Tree.
- Other prize winners included Jackie Williamson, who won a two-night stay at Holiday Inn on Okaloosa Island; Yvette Edlund, recipient of a tree decorated with $100 in lottery scratch-off tickets; and Garette Morate, who won an Islander’s Coastal Outfitters gift package.
The event, sponsored by Get the Coast and supported by local realtors Jim Fish of Florida Compass Realty and Mack Bowman of ERA American Real Estate, will fund four $1,000 scholarships for graduating senior girls from Fort Walton Beach and Choctawhatchee High School.
All participating trees remain on display throughout the holiday season.