Students win bench-decorating contest with interactive display

When third grade teacher Brittany Simonich chose the bench outside of the North Lake County Public Library in Polson, she let the Linderman Elementary students design a project that would involve the community.

“It’s interactive, so people can take a bookmark and write their favorite book title,” she said.

The project was part of the second annual Decorate the Bench competition in downtown Polson, which was sponsored by the Polson Business Committee.

Tanya Patrick, a parent of one of the students in Simonich’s class, secured an old door and birch trees. Students tied string to the trees that were situated on each side of the bench, hanging homemade bookmarks that the public could take.

There was also a clipboard that passersby were able to share their favorite book.

Taking second place was the “Hallmark Cup Ladies” with their display of coffee cups just outside of the Hallmark store, and in third place was Polson’s Cutting Edge salon.

Along with a trophy for each winning bench, Simonich’s class took the grand prize of $200, while the Hallmark ladies received $100 and the Cutting Edge received $80.

Simonich shared with other contestants that some of the money awarded to the class would go toward pizza parties.

The winners were announced Saturday morning. In all, there were 17 benches decorated and 397 votes were cast this year, Evonne O’Neill, co-owner of the Hallmark Store and chairperson of the event said.

Six individuals were awarded $20 in Polson bucks after their names were drawn for voting for the benches, O’Neill said.

O’Neill explained that those who received Polson bucks can choose from a list of participating PBC locations in Polson, spending the “money” as actual tender.

The decorated benches will be on display through downtown Polson through this weekend.