2011 Coloring Contest Winners!

We had over 300 submissions to our Holiday Coloring Contest, and voting for the winners was harder than ever! This is what just part of our lobby looked like last week…

Here they are! First Place colorings in each age division, followed by the Runner-Up’s. Great job kids! We hope you all have a very Merry Christmas!

FIRST PLACE WINNERS

Category: Age 0-4
1st Place! New Sled!
Molly Wurm (Age 4)

Category: Age 5-8
1st Place! New Sled!
Bernadette Yanta (Age 8)

Category: Age 9-12
1st Place! New Sled!
Brianna Peringer (Age 10)

RUNNER-UPS

Category: Age 0-4
2nd Place! Family Bowling Pack to Tom’n'Gary’s Bowling Center
Amara Schroeder (Age 4)

Category: Age 5-8
2nd Place! Family Bowling Pack to Tom’n'Gary’s Bowling Center
Haley Young (Age 8)

Category: Age 9-12
2nd Place! Family Bowling Pack to Tom’n'Gary’s Bowling Center
Brynn Paumen (Age 12)

HONORABLE MENTION

Name Kept Anonymous (Age 38 1/2)

Name Kept Anonymous (Age 33 1/8)

Name Kept Anonymous (Age 63)

Holiday Coloring Contest Underway!

Our annual holiday coloring contest begins today with copies inserted in both the Annandale Advocate and Maple Lake Messenger this week. You can pick up copies at our Annandale office or download extra copies here. The contest is open to children ages 0-12. Winning colorings chosen in three age categories will be awarded a new sled or family bowling pack… perfect for Christmas Break!

The contest runs for two weeks. Drop completed colorings off at either Oak Realty office (we have a drop box at our back door after hours), or you can also mail them to us at: PO Box 298 Annandale, MN 55302. Winners will be notified the week before Christmas. Have fun and get coloring kids!

 

Carving Contest Winners!

Our first annual pumpkin carving contest was a hit! Thanks to everyone who participated by stealing a pumpkin from our truck and bringing it back carved! Because the weather was so great on Halloween we lined our patio with many of our submissions and over a hundred trick-or-treaters voted for some deserving winners in four age categories. Here are some of the talented carvings, and the winners!

Mackenzie Burton
Age: 6

Jenna Groth
Age: 9

Hannah Groth
Age: 13

Nathan Derksen
Age: 22

 

Pick a Pumpkin, Carve to Win!

Families, artists, folks young and old…our Pumpkin Carving Contest is underway!

We’ve decorated one of our old trucks around the area each fall, and this year we’re trying something new and fun! Our truck in the front yard is covered in pumpkins. Anyone of any age is invited to grab a pumpkin and bring it back to us carved, for a chance to win prizes to Tom ‘N’ Gary’s Bowling Center in Annandale!

Enter in one of 4 age categories including adult. Bring your carved pumpkin back to our office on Friday or Saturday, Oct. 28-29th. Our staff will vote for top 3 in each age category, then kids who visit our office on Halloween Monday during the Chamber Trick-or-Treat event will vote for the winners in each category. We will also light all the pumpkins that were entered. Come take a look!

So, don’t be shy! Walk on up to our truck and take a pick! We can’t wait to see what you create!

No Wake on Some Area Lakes!

Word is spreading across the Heart of the Lakes of the temporary emergency slow, no wake ordinance adopted by Wright County this week, affecting many of our area lakes. Please be mindful of this ordinance, what the policy is on each lake, as you continue to enjoy area waters!

As published in the Herald-Journal (7/26/11)

WRIGHT COUNTY, MN – In response to concerns over high water levels, Wright County Board adopted a temporary emergency slow no wake ordinance During Tuesday’s meeting. The ordinance applies to all of 12 lakes, including Albion Lake, Lake Augusta, Bass Lake, the Clearwater Chain of Lakes (including Lake Louisa, Lake Marie, Lake Caroline, and Mill Pond), Clearwater Lake, East and West Lake Sylvia, Henshaw Lake, Locke Lake, Nixon Lake, Pleasant Lake, Swartout Lake, and Sugar Lake. The ordinance also applies to areas within 300 feet of shore on Cedar Lake. The ordinance will remain in effect until Saturday, Oct. 1. The restriction will be removed on specific lakes when high water levels have subsided and have remained below an elevation  of six inches above the “ordinary high water mark one” for three consecutive days, as determined by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources lake level Minnesota monitoring program gauge.

Summer Portfolio is Here!

The heat, the 4th of July and our Summer Property Portfolio are all here! We loved this old image from our 2011 Summer Events postcard so much, that we used it again on this edition of our Property Portfolio. It was taken on Clearwater Lake in the 1930′s. For those of you familiar with the shoreline, this was taken near present day Camp Friendship, facing East.

It is finally summer, get out and enjoy the weather and all of the activities around town this long holiday weekend. The carnival opens in a few hours and the fun begins! You can find a full list of events on the Chamber’s site here. There is also a lot of information in this week’s Advocate and their 4th of July insert.

We hope you enjoy this edition, our largest to date, and have a safe and memorable 4th of July in the Heart of the Lakes!

First Place Chili goes to…Oak!

Tom serving his winning chili!

Congrats to Tom, Gary, Hollie and Justin and the rest of the team who contributed to this year’s Chili Cook-Off 1st place win! Tom’s recipe took Judge’s Choice for the second year in a row. (Our 3rd Judge’s Choice ladle since the event began 9 years ago!) The event had an overwhelming turnout with crowds of people wandering town on a beautiful Saturday afternoon, cup in hand! Our booth served over 1,000 samples to folks enjoying the growing Memorial Weekend tradition. Cheers, Tom, to a repeat in 2012… your recipe is widely-recognized now as the tough one to beat! Don’t miss this event, of our booth, next year!

Off to the judging table!

 

Tom’s Award-Winning Chili is Back!

Tom’s award-winning recipe will be back at the Chamber’s 9th Annual Chili Cook-Off held this Saturday, May 28th, throughout Annandale. Visit our booth at City Hall Square, and other participating business downtown and along Highway 55, to sample their chili from 12-3 p.m. Then cast your vote at City Hall Square for the People’s Choice Award. We won Judge’s Choice in 2010!

We like Muriel Rudolphs idea, who visited our booth last year… bring along a muffin tin! This popular event is a real kick-off to summer in the Heart of the Lakes. Remember the reason and have a wonderful Memorial Weekend everyone!

Spring Portfolio Arrives

The Spring Edition of our Heart of the Lakes Property Portfolio arrived just as the temps outside finally warmed and the trees began to turn green. We can officially say Spring is here, a little late, but here! Find new properties, properties with new prices, maps and more!

Pick up a copy in print at a number of local businesses, or sign-up to have the full digital edition emailed to you!

18 Homes Open on Sunday!

Our Spring Lakeshore Tour, happening this Sunday, April 17th from 12-3 p.m., celebrates the end of winter and the anticipation of Minnesota’s greatest season… summer! There is nothing like life at the lake in the summer time. If you’re looking for a lake home or cabin this season, don’t miss the opportunity to visit up to 18 area waterfront homes this Sunday afternoon. Download a flyer, use our Map Search to read more about these properties online before the tour, and plan your route though the beautiful Heart of the Lakes! Keep an eye out for our red balloons, they’ll show you the way!