Winners of the Santa Maria Valley’s best-decorated homes and businesses in the 2008 edition of the “Lights, Sights and Holiday Nights” contest were announced Thursday after judges hit the streets of Santa Maria and Orcutt this week.

Award categories included most inspirational, best residence, neighborhood spirit, most nostalgic, best business, and most energy efficient.

Three members of the Santa Maria Recreation and Parks Department staff and three members of the Recreation and Parks Commission judged Santa Maria entries on Wednesday night.

Orcutt nominees were judged by members of the Santa Maria Valley Lions Club the same night.

For the first time, judges in Santa Maria presented a lifetime of achievement award and honored four best residence award winners by dividing the city into quadrants.

Major category winners receive a yard sign and plaque while Award of Excellence winners — like an honorable mention — receive a yard sign and certificate.

Jerry and Sylvia Meisenzahl, winners of the best residence in the northwest quadrant, began decorating their single-story home at 207 Sycamore St. in early November with thousands of icicle-style lights. Sylvia Meisenzahl said she and her husband are “thrilled” with the award. However, their electric company might be as excited.

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“PG&E loves us in December,” she said.

She said the display, which includes decorated Christmas trees, “looks just as good in the daytime.”

The retired couple did the work all by themselves to decorate their home, and they have won award of excellence honors two previous times.

Although they’d won award of excellence honors the past four years, Donna and Lewis Thacker didn’t expect their home at 1749 N. Vine St. to take best residence honors in the northeast quadrant.

“I was shocked,” Donna Thacker said. “I was really surprised. I didn’t think we’d win.”

The couple’s 11-year-old grandson, Tyler, installed most of the 4,000-plus red lights on the roof of the single-story, she said. There are at least 10,000 lights, mostly powered by a generator, on the home. The display includes five decorated Christmas trees — one of them 15 feet tall — 8-foot-tall nutcrackers, a Nativity, and reindeers.

Donna Thacker, who runs a daycare center at the home, said bringing joy to others — particularly seniors and children — is worth the time that goes into the display.

Larry and Michelle Iliff, whose display at 917 Beth Court had captured the best decorated residence title four times in the past 11 years, received the lifetime of achievement award — the first time the honor has been given.

Larry Iliff added a 10-foot-tall Christmas tree made of more than 7,000 lights this year to the spectacle that includes an elaborate computerized light and music show with 27,000 lights.

The annual contest is presented by the Santa Maria Recreation and Parks Commission, the Recreation and Parks Department and the Santa Maria Valley Lions.

Honors went out to nine major category winners and 12 award of excellence winners in Santa Maria. Listed are all winners and nominees. (Winners are capitalized.) Orcutt results were not yet available.

Best Residence (northeast quadrant) 1749 North Vine St. with a nearest cross street of North Broadway or East Grant Street

3299 Drake Drive with the nearest cross street of Winter Road

Best Residence (northwest quadrant) — 209 Sycamore St. with a nearest cross street of North Broadway or West Taylor Street

Award of Excellence — 519 West Taylor St. with the nearest cross street of Railroad Avenue

740 Royal Terrace with the nearest cross street of Cherry Avenue

Award of Excellence — 202 N. Palisade Drive with the nearest cross street of East Alvin Avenue

127 W. Riverside Court with the nearest cross street of Preisker Lane

1324 Marie Court with the nearest cross street of Dena Way

Award of Excellence — 214 N. Lincoln St. with a nearest cross street of W. Mill St. or North Broadway

1027 West El Camino St. with the nearest cross street of North Western

1844 N. Miller St. with the nearest cross street of Taft Street or Grant Street

Most Nostalgic — 400 Pam Court with the nearest cross street of Palisade Drive

612 Amber Lane with a nearest cross street of South Miller Street and Inger Drive

Award of Excellence — 1154 W. Creston St. with the nearest cross street of De Joy Street

1844 N. Miller St. with the nearest cross street of Taft Street or Grant Street

1701 S. Thornburg, space 126

Award of Excellence — 1324 E. Valley Oak Place with a nearest cross street of East Alvin or North Stokes Avenue

421 S. Palisade Drive with the nearest cross street of East Main Street

1527 Marilyn Way with the nearest cross street of Marian Drive.

2436 Ronald Place with the nearest cross street of West Stowell Road

Lifetime Achievement — 917 N. Beth Court with the nearest cross street of East Alvin Avenue

Most Energy Efficient — 330 S. Scott Drive with a nearest cross street of South Bradley Road or East Cypress Street

South Scott Drive

1708 N. Miller with the nearest cross street off East Donovan Road

603 W. Cook St. with a nearest cross of South Smith Street

1600-1700 La Salle Drive with the nearest cross street of East Donovan Road

Award of Excellence — 834 Della Drive with a nearest cross street of South Western Avenue and Sonya Lane

522 N. Ranch St. with the nearest cross street of East El Camino Street

Award of Excellence — 104 Palm Court Drive with a nearest cross street of South Broadway

1317 S. Thornburg St. with the nearest cross street of West Stowell Road

Award of Excellence — 1030 De Soto Drive with the nearest cross street of La Salle Drive

Neighborhood Spirit — 1719 Lasalle with the nearest cross street of East Donovan Road

Most Inspirational — 1400 East Church St. (Marian Medical Plaza) with the nearest cross street of East Main Street.

1201 Willow Walk Way with a nearest cross street of Wildwood Road or East Donovan Road

2755, 2756, 2759, 2760, 2764, 2765, 2768 Niverth Place

2040 Lassen Drive with the nearest cross street of West Carmen Lane

337 S. Scott Drive with a nearest cross street of South Bradley Road or Cypress Street

Award of Excellence — 512 N. College Drive with the nearest cross street of Armstrong Avenue

Award of Excellence — 1730 N. Miller with the nearest cross street of East Grant Street

1324 E. Valley Oak St. with a nearest cross street of East Alvin or North Stokes Avenue

Best Residence (southeast quadrant) — 670 E. Newlove Drive with the nearest cross street of South Miller Street

Best Business — 400 East Orange St. with the nearest cross street of South Miller Street

Award of Excellence — 1627 S. Broadway with a nearest cross street of East Battles Road and East Newlove Drive

4356 Valley Drive with a nearest cross street of South Bradley Road and Woodmere Road

4380 Lynhurst Circle with the nearest cross street of Woodmere Road

Award of Excellence — 2436 Rolling Green Drive with the nearest cross street of McCoy Lane

1527 Marilyn Way with the nearest cross street of East Jones Street

241 Town Center West with the nearest cross street West Cook Street

1041 De Gama Drive with a nearest cross street of Magellan Drive or La Salle Drive

Best Residence (southwest quadrant) — 2423 Wailea Court with the with the nearest cross street of W. McCoy Lane

December 12, 2008