House Lighting Contest

The Santa Claus Lane Houselighting Contest winners have been announced by Greater Olean Area Chamber of Commerce. The Contest, sponsored by the Cattaraugus County Association of Realtors, the Olean Area Federal Credit Union, and National Grid Co., is held annually as part of the month-long Santa Claus Lane festivities.

Voting was done by a panel of community judges, and the winners will enjoy Greater Olean Gift Certificates, good at more than 235 locations. Sharing first place this year are two business: Sprague’s Maple Farms, 1048 Route 305, Portville and L’Image Salon, 9 East Main Street, Allegany. Second place goes to 10 year old, Ryan Wheeler and his family, 207 Chestnut Street, Olean; and Third place goes to The Evans Family of 60 North Main Street, Portville. The houses were judged for their well-decorated buildings and were given special notice for originality, color and design, and mechanical fixtures. Honorable mention goes to the neighborhood of the first block of North 15th Street -- many homes are decorated in holiday splendor!

The Chamber would once again like to showcase Ryan Wheeler’s house at 207 Chestnut Street, Olean. This is the ten-year old house decorator, Ryan’s fourth year designing the lighting plan for his house. He drew it out, and with his parent’s assistance, decorated their house in his eyes! Also, although they were not eligible in the contest, the Stone Family in Bolivar has a BRIGHT treat for anyone traveling Route 417 (Near the Bolivar Country Club) in Allegany County. The Stone Family has about two acres that are decorated with about 500 feet of road frontage. You can see them from any direction you travel from.

“So many people have gotten into the holiday spirit and have decorated their homes, beautifully... and with a great deal of ingenuity,” said John Sayegh, Chief Operating Officer of Greater Olean Area Chamber of Commerce. “We at the Chamber are very enthused and proud of the community’s spirit and of the support we receive from the sponsors.”

The Sponsors and Chamber officials concur, that if you have an hour or so in the evening, you should bundle up the children, take along a tape of carols and a thermos of cocoa, and drive to see many of the holiday homes and their lights. With the judging completed, lights may be on until the end of December. For more information on Santa Claus Lane activities or other Chamber events, please call Greater Olean Area Chamber of Commerce at 716-372-4433.

Area Holiday Home Addresses

-December 17, 2007