Family Matters club delivers trophies, cash to winners

The Canyon Lake Family Matters Club finished up 2023 by delivering trophies and $100 bills to the winners of its Holiday Home Decorating Contest. The club’s volunteers had recently hit the pavement and delivered well over 100 gifts to Canyon Lake children who had written letters as part of its Letters to Santa annual event.

The winners for this year’s contest are as follows: Jeremy and Cheryl Kite along with dog Emma for their theme, Santa is Coming to Town. The Kite family also received residents’ choice. The Kite’s received two trophies along with $100 for first place in the theme category.

“We love decorating for Christmas,” Cheryl Kite said. “This year instead of candy we gave out little bouncy balls and the parents seemed to really appreciate that instead of candy. Jeremy dressed up as the Grinch and greeted the little ones that stopped by. It was such a wonderful experience. The joy on people’s faces makes us want to do more.”

The Hacket family poses with the trophy and $100 bill that it won in the Canyon Lake Family Matters Holiday Home Decorating Contest. Photo provided by Canyon Lake Family Matters Club

The winner for this year’s first-time entry went to the Hacket family, who also received a beautiful Christmas themed trophy along with $100, and lastly, the Merry and Bright went to the Taylor family who were presented with a trophy and $100.

“We hung over 140,000 lights this year,” the Taylors said. “It’s our thing. We love decorating for Christmas.”

The Hackets also were excited to receive the award.

“This is so awesome,” they said. “The trophy is so beautiful, and the money is nice, too. The trophy is something we can display and be proud of and it will be a reminder of this incredible moment.”

“I received a lot of positive feedback about the holiday home contest from the community,” Club Founder Shawna Bowen said. “People were expressing their gratitude for all the things Family Matters does. It is the community members who volunteer their time that make this club a hallmark in the community. Everyone who volunteers reminds me all the time that they love seeing the joy on the kids’ faces at our events, and I couldn’t agree more.”

“Presenting the winners with their trophies and prize money this year was amazing,” Jeannie Hoonnirun, club president, said. “Something about this year was a little extra special. Not one recipient said it was about winning or the contest, not even the money, it was all about giving back to Canyon Lake. Everyone who won expressed that all their efforts were more than worth it, and their payback was seeing the joy and hearing the laughter in everyone’s voices as they stopped by their decorated homes and became even more immersed in the Christmas spirit.”

“I know the Family Matters board won’t mind me speaking on behalf of everyone when I say ending the year with the holiday home contest and letters to Santa is the best way to end a season,” Club Vice President Dawn Rankins said. “December is certainly busy for the club and the many volunteers who help make our Christmas season extraordinary. From the receiving and reading of all the handwritten letters from the kiddos to the shopping and gift wrapping and of course the delivery of the presents, sure it’s hectic and sometimes overwhelming, but Canyon Lake never ceases to amaze me and my fellow club members. The outpouring of love and gratitude, I mean, we couldn’t ask for a better place to live and nowhere would there be a better feeling of community.”

“Ending the year with delivering the trophies and prize money, that was a highlight for sure,” Jeannie said. “Hearing each homeowner express their Christmas joy to us, made my Christmas a little more magical.