Sheila Sheley wins Lincoln Christmas Express Gift Basket

[December 21, 2020]  

On Friday morning Ethan Hoinacki, Lisa Drew and Kathie Williams met at Guest House Pastries and Coffee to draw the name of this year’s winner of the Lincoln Christmas Express giveaway.

The giveaway marks the end of the Christmas season shopping promotion for downtown businesses. For the last few weeks shoppers have had the opportunity to have their name entered in the drawing as a reward for shopping and buying local.

Twenty seven businesses within the heart of the city participated in the promotion. Most contributed gift cards, but some gave away merchandise from their business.

To be eligible for the drawing shoppers were given a ticket that was to be stamped when they made a purchase at one of the participating stores. Shoppers were required to make purchases with at least 10 businesses, but obviously could got to more stores if they wished.

Participating businesses this year included:

Small Town Creations
Sorrento’s Pizzeria
Abe’s Carmelcorn
Sir Renna Tea
Spirited Republic
Guzzardo’s Italian Villa
Rio Grande
Guest House
Top Hat Creamery
Mary Todd Hallmark
Copper Penny
Indigo Quilt Studio
Pink Shutter
Podbelsek Family Creations
Rent One
Mama’s Arcade
Flossie & Delzena’s
ReNew Consignment and Thrift
Idle Hour
Grieme-Arnold Insurance
Michelle Bauer Country Financial
Debbie’s Downtown Floral
Mystic Rose Antiques
McEntire’s Appliance
Joe Ryan Country Financial
Lincoln CBD Store
Sherwin Williams

Before the drawing Hoinacki thanked everyone for their participation and thanked all the shoppers. Williams noted that the holiday shopping has been good for local businesses and very important this year especially due to the tough times local businesses have gone through with the coronavirus.

Lisa Drew did the honors of mixing up all the tickets in a large bowl then drawing one out. The winner was then announced as Sheila Sheley. Hoinacki said that he knows Sheley well and that she is in his store on a daily basis. Drew noted that Sheley is also a customer of her business, Sorrento’s Pizzeria and had shopped at a number of our downtown businesses this holiday season.

In addition to drawing out the name of the basket winner, Williams announced the winner of the Gingerbread Contest. This year the gingerbread contest was hit hard by the coronavirus.

While there were a good number of entrants last year, not being permitted to have open viewing of the edible art and the forced closure of the Depot Visitors Center under the tightened coronavirus restrictions may have hindered the number of entries.

However, one wonderful entry could certainly have withstood the competition. The Atlanta Ag 4-H Club submitted a Christmas Village that was outstanding. Williams explained that the club is also in a social distancing situation and not meeting in close proximity. Therefore each member was invited to make a piece of the whole. The work ended up being very festive and bright.

Atlanta Ag 4-H Club will receive this year’s People’s Choice trophy and bragging rights as the winners.

Williams also noted that she wanted to send thanks to everyone who had been a part of the Christmas Express in Lincoln, with a special thanks to Morgan Gleason of the Logan County Tourism Bureau. Williams said that Gleason had helped in dozens of ways throughout the planning of the event and after it began. Williams noted that Gleason did a lot of things that the downtown business owners couldn’t find time to do because they were busy working in their stores.

All in all, the downtown merchants are not unhappy about their Christmas shopping season. With all the restrictions and forced closures for the eateries, it has been a struggle for all of the shops in the heart of the city, but the community has done their best to be supportive by shopping local and it is greatly appreciated.

Even though the shop local promotion has ended, downtown stores still have a lot of great items to show you. If you’ve not made it downtown yet, please try to do so. The merchants will appreciate your business, and you will appreciate all the terrific items they have for your gifting and decorating needs.

[Nila Smith]