All residents and businesses in Rio Dell and Scotia are invited to participate in the third annual holiday decorating contest. There are separate categories for homes and businesses, and businesses can indicate if they wish to be judged on outdoor or indoor decorations.

Cash prizes of $250 for first place, $150 for second, and $100 for third, are again being offered by the volunteer fire department in each of the two categories.

Register by Dec. 14 to have your home or business judged: Go to the Rio Dell-Scotia Chamber of Commerce Facebook page to sign up online or fill out a short paper form available at Shotz Coffee Rio Dell or the Rio Dell Community Resource Center, 406 Wildwood. (For businesses, indicate if decorations to be judged are indoors or out.)

The entries will be put on a map and made available online at the chamber Facebook page and in paper formats at Shotz and the resource center. Get a list of locations to vote on, in one of these two formats, start checking out the homes and businesses, and cast your vote.

Vote Dec. 16-midnight, Dec. 24 if you are casting your ballot online. If you are voting with a paper ballot, make sure you turn it in during the hours Shotz or the Resource Center are open (which may vary during the holiday weekend).

Winners will be notified. This is a project of the Rio Dell-Scotia Chamber of Commerce. Prize money has been donated by the Volunteer Fire Department. Technical expertise is courtesy of Mavis Amen of Famous Amens Handcrafted Seasonings, Fortuna.