The Catskill Chronicle

SULLIVAN COUNTY, NY (February 5, 2015) – The Sullivan County Visitors Association’s Winter Wonderland Photo Contest came to a close on February 1, with 129 photos submitted and 2,184 votes cast online.

The contest not only helped shine a positive light on the Sullivan County Catskills, it also contributed to a 50 percent increase in traffic to the Visitors Association website, as well as increased traffic to the Association’s Facebook page. “We couldn’t believe the incredible response that this contest evoked,” SCVA President Roberta Byron-Lockwood said. “We were impressed with the results from the Fall Foliage Photo Contest, and this one was even better!”

Earning an astonishing 451 votes, Livingston Manor Veterinarian Luann Steele came in First Place with her beautiful picture of Livingston Manor Central School. Steele took the shot one morning when she was dropping off her children at school. “People must have thought I was crazy getting out of my car on the side of the road when it was -1 degree outside, but I couldn’t resist,” said Steele. “Northern Sullivan County is a really beautiful area and it is easy for those of us who live here to take it for granted, especially when it is so cold!”

Close behind were Charlie Maloney (photo right), Ben Koerner (photo below left), and Kevin Kreischer (photo below right), who came in Second, Third, and Forth Place respectively.

All contest winners were awarded various prizes contributed by seven different SCVA member businesses. Those businesses included Sullivan County Farmers’ Markets, Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, The Country Bum’kin Antiques, Natural Contents Kitchen, WSUL, WVOS, and Morgan Outdoors.

“The SCVA wants to offer a huge thank you to our sponsors and our entrants, all of whom helped make Winter Wonderland such a success,” Byron-Lockwood said.

Explore all of the submissions by visiting the Sullivan County Visitors Association’s website atscva.net/winter-wonderland-contest.