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2007 ‘Top Notch’ Photo Contest
Second Week & Winner Top Notch: Dog greets crab
Tom Thomas of Holmes Beach won the grand prize in The Islander’s annual Top Notch contest for this photo of a 2 1/2-year-old Labrador retriever named Taylor greeting a blue crab on a sandbar near Longboat Pass Bridge. Thomas won $100 from the newspaper, plus a bevy of gifts from Islander advertisers, including Cafe on the Beach, Creations by L, The Sea Hagg, Subway and Walgreens. Five other photographers were weekly winners in the Top Notch contest – Robert L. Brown, Kim Klement, John Barker, Lori Kee and Mary Anne Keenan. The weekly winners received Islander “more-than-a-mullet wrapper” T-shirts and page 1 placement of their photos.
Fifth weekly winner: Top Notch ‘Sitting pretty’
Mary Anne Keenan of Bradenton entered this Top Notch shot taken at Fort DeSoto Park in St. Petersburg in April. The park is on the Great Florida Birding Trail. Keenan is the fifth winner in the six weeks of Top Notch, with prizes including front page placement for her photo and an Islander newspaper “more-than-a-mullet wrapper” T-shirt. Her entry will go into the pool of weekly winners to be eligible for the grand prize of $100 from the newspaper and a bevy of gift certificates and prizes from Islander advertisers.
Fourth weekly winner: Gridiron grab
Kim Klement of Bradenton entered this Top Notch shot of a September 2006 game in Gainesville with University of Florida safety Tony Joiner, UF cornerback Reggie Lewis and University of Southern Mississippi wide receiver Rodney Gray reaching for a ball. Klement is the fourth winner in the six weeks of Top Notch, with prizes including front page placement for her photo and an Islander newspaper “more-than-a-mullet wrapper” T-shirt. Her entry will go into the pool of weekly winners to be eligible for the grand prize of $100 from the newspaper and a bevy of gift certificates and prizes from Islander advertisers.
Third weekly winner: Top notch kids
John Barker of Holmes Beach titles his all-for-one, one-for-all shot of Islanders Adam Woods, left, Chris Adkins and Jacob and Shelby Barker “The Four Musketeers.” Barker is the third winner in the six weeks of Top Notch, with prizes including front page placement for his photo and an Islander newspaper “more-than-a-mullet wrapper” T-shirt. Her entry will go into the pool of weekly winners to be eligible for the grand prize of $100 from the newspaper and a bevy of gift certificates and prizes from Islander advertisers.
Second weekly winner: Top notch crabby dog!
Tom Thomas of Holmes Beach took this photo of Taylor, a 2½-year-old Labrador retriever, while at the sandbar east of the Longboat Pass Bridge. “Taylor,” he says, “loves to chase crabs.” Thomas is the second winner of six weeks of Top Notch, including front page for his photo and an Islander newspaper “more-than-a-mullet-wrapper” T-shirt and a certificate for Minnie’s Beach Cafe, and her photo will go into the pool of six winners eligible for a grand prize that includes $100 from The Islander, a dining certificate from Ooh La La! Bistro, a bottle of champagne from Anna Maria Island Liquor and Wine, dinner for two at a Chiles Group Restaurant and framing of the winning photo by Decor and More.
First weekly winner: Top notch pelican flock!
Lori Kee of Bradenton, an artist with a good camera eye and a Holmes Beach city employee, took this photo near the humpback bridge on North Bay Boulevard in Anna Maria. Kee’s keen eye has earned her the prize for the first of six weeks of Top Notch, including front page for her photo and an Islander newspaper "more-than-a-mullet wrapper" T-shirt. Her entry will go into the pool of weekly winners to be eligible for the grand prize of $100 from the newspaper and a bevy of gift certificates and prizes from Islander advertisers.