Winners named in annual decorating contest

Some of the winners in the July 4 Holiday Outdoor Home Decoration Contest for 2025 are not new to the contest, and they know what the judges and public want to see and enjoy, and yet there are a few new members to the celebration decoration effort.

The Seward Rotary Club and SHS Future Business Leaders of America announced the many outstanding home decorations promoting Seward’s Fourth of July celebration.

Named winners this year were the Keith and Ellen Gardiner family at 214 Roberts Street for overall Best Night Time July 4 Display, complete with a miniature Pyramid Time Capsule, and the Lloyd Lipska home at 1611 North First Street for the overall Best Daytime Display, featuring a blow-up red, white and blue July 4 dragon.  

Twenty-four homes and 11 businesses were recognized by the committee as “in the spirit” for the July 4 celebration in Seward.

Other top finishers in the contest were the homes of Jill and Jarod Hochstein at 357 Star Street with the Patriot Award, the Terry Kamprath family at 938 Cherry Lane with the Seward Spirit award, and the Gary Rolf family at 404 Lincoln Street with the Seward Rotary Club’s President’s Award. The Historic Gil Blomenberg home at 345 North Second Street was named the July 4 Classic Award winner.

The top two first place homes will receive a special trophy to recognize their efforts and thank them for their leadership in promoting and helping to make Seward a “red, white and blue” community; however all of the decorated homes are appreciated and fun to enjoy.  

The contest was sponsored by the Seward Rotary Club and assisted by the Seward High FBLA. Judges were members of both clubs, with co-chair Ken Schmieding for the Rotary Club and FBLA representatives Collin Sveeggen and Nicholas Wegman. A van of dedicated club members judged the nominated homes June 29, 2025. The judging may appear early, but the committee wanted to announce the awards in the Seward County Independent prior to the Fourth, so individuals could check out the homes for themselves.

“It is wonderful centennial project for our Seward Rotary Club, and we invite all to see so many homes in Seward who have taken on the Fourth of July excitement. Our Seward Rotary is honored to recognize and thank all of the families who took time to create a fun outdoor red, white and blue theme for the community to enjoy. The slogan for the Seward Fourth is ‘Preserving the Present for the Future.’ What great community spirit. Rotary thanks, salutes and honors all of the nominees,” Schmieding said.

Other decorated homes receiving Honorable Mention and deserving a must see included:

Daytime Decorating Honorable Mention

Janak, 1123 North Eighth Street

Arneson, 636 North Fifth Street

Nelson, 1451 North First Street

O’Dell, 1800 Karol Kay Blvd

Zabka, 1456 Karol Kay Blvd

Krieser, 1120 North First Street

Fiala, 411 North Columbia Avenue

Gebhardt, 640 South Second Street

Mayfield, 505 South Third Street

Homp, 1210 Eastridge Drive

Bargmann, 142 Bradford Street

Engel, 505 North Third Street

Bolte, 712 Hillcrest Avenue

Kozisek, 1750 Meadow Lane

Novak, 901 Bradford Avenue

Urbanek, 710 North Avenue

Royuk, 142 Seward Street

Wake, 136 North Columbia

Novak, West Bradford Street

Peters, 1744 Columbia Avenue

Slack, 1257 Eastridge Drive

Kamprath, 938 Cherry Lane

Nighttime Decorating Honorable Mention

Johnson, 733 East Pinewood Avenue

Brecka, 530 Seventh Street

Wickersham, 906 North Third Street

Boaz, 917 Bradford Avenue

The judges also wanted to thank Merle’s Flower Shop, Liberty House, The Blue Bench, Allure Fashions, Et Cetera, The Rivoli Theater, The Second Closet, Enhanced Physical Therapy, Chapter’s Books and Gifts, 14tin and the Nebraska National Guard Museum for their creative, patriotic and red, white and blue store window displays.