Twelve local charities got a little boost thanks to Belco and other sponsors of the annual Festival of Lights contest.

The contest sees residents and businesses vy for the best Christmas decorations. In some cases entire neighbourhoods get in the mood, but all winners must donate their monetary/mortary prize to a local charity.

Prizes are awarded in three categories, individual/residential, community and commercial & retail. The winners this year were as follows: In the residential category Eastern division, first place went to Edmund Faria and Family of Casa Nova, Fourth Avenue, Devonshire, who elected the St. Vincent de Paul Society as their charity.

Second place went to Conrad Weller of 1 Link Lane, Hamilton Parish who chose the Coalition for the Protection of Children as his charity.

Mr. & Mrs. Joe Botello of Wind Sea, 4 Stone Haven Road, Hamilton Parish picked up the third place donating the funds to The Bermuda Diabetes Association.

In the Central division first place went to Mr. & Mrs. Arthur Pitman of Stroud House, 29 Mission Road, Paget. Their charity was the Bermuda TB Cancer & Health Association.

Mr. & Mrs. Howard Mitchell Jr. of Moongate Cottages, 2 Northcote Close, Pembroke won second place and donated the funds to Hands of Love Ministry.

The Family Learning Centre were the recipients of third place winner Antonio Belvedere of Summer Sea , 55 Berry Hill Road, Paget. In the Western division Michael Jean-Jaques of Sea Mist, 2 Cliff Crescent, Southampton allocated his first place winning to Hope Homes.

Both the second and third place winners in this area donated their winnings to PALS. Second place went to Tim, Clair, Bradley & Jermaine Simons of 34 Pompano Beach Road, Southampton and third went to Mr. & Mrs. Edward Sousa of Inglewood, 14 Greendale Lane, Warwick.

The Lady Cubitt Compassionate Association of Bermuda were the charity of choice for winners Cedar Park Community in the community section of the awards.

Three prizes, one each in Eastern, Western and central divisions were given in the Commercial section.

The winners were as follows: The Corporation of St. George?s in the Eastern division, The Evangelical Church of Bermuda, in the Central division and Willowbank Hotel in the West.

Charities of choice for the three winners were the Bermuda Heritage Museum, Word of Life Bermuda and the Sunshine League respectively.