EASLEY — To the victor go the spoils! Emily Hawkins of Newberry defeated 11 other first, second and third place winners to claim a brand-spankin’ new bicycle and be named the grand prize winner of the first Civitas Media Spring Coloring Contest.
Emily’s sweet new ride — plus a helmet — came courtesy of Cindy and Kevin Maxey, owners of Upcountry Outdoors located in downtown Easley.
“Have you ever been measured for a helmet before?” asked Cindy Maxey as she wound the tape around Emily’s head. “We have to make sure it fits right.”
Luckily for Emily, the store had one helmet in her size and it was even her favorite color — pink.
“You should see her room,” said Emily’s mother Kelly Hawkins. “The whole thing is pink and purple. She was so excited she could get a pink bike.”
The coloring contest accepted entries from sister papers The Easley Progress, The Pickens Sentinel, The Newberry Observer and The Union Times. First, second and third places from each of the papers were then pitted against each other for the grand prize.
“I was so surprised that I won, because I placed second in Newberry,” Emily said. “But I guess there’s different judges? I don’t know. I’m so excited, I’ve never won anything before!”
Emily and her family drove to Easley from Newberry on Sunday to pick up her new bicycle.
“We were happy to do it (sponsor the contest),” said Maxey. “This is great. Look how excited she is.”
After being outfitted with pink, matching safety gear and grinning from ear to ear, Emily took her new wheels for a spin up and down the sidewalk.
And yes, she stayed inside the lines.
