Beautification Board

✨🎄 WINNERS of the Brooksville Holiday Lights Contest 2025 🎄✨

Thank you to everyone who participated, nominated a home or business, and helped spread holiday cheer throughout our city.

          Click here to view

2025 Holiday Light Contest Winners

Residential Winners

          Holly Jolly Christmas – Dirksen Family | 205 Sunset Dr.

          Clark Griswold – Araniecke Family | 251 Pryor St.

          Jingle Bell Best – Conley Family | 469 Rogers

          Frosty’s Favorite – Chown Family | 3052 Meetinghouse

          Christmas in Paradise – Drake Family | 157 Mt. Fair

Commercial Winners

          Merry & Bright Business– Mulligan and Associates | 140 S Main St.

          Baby It’s Cold Outside, Come Inside – Brooksville Healthcare Center | 1114 Chatman Blvd.

          Hometown Holiday – Lowman Law Firm | 31 S. Main St.

 Honorable Mention

          The Buff Family | 624 Erin Way

Thank you again to the Beautification Board, our participants, and our community for making this season bright.

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Margaret Ghiotto Beautification Award – Background & Legacy

The Margaret Ghiotto Beautification Award is named in honor of Margaret “Weenie” Rogers Ghiotto, a trailblazing civic leader, businesswoman, educator, and long-standing Brooksville resident whose legacy continues to shape the character and charm of the city.
Born in 1916, Margaret Ghiotto broke barriers at a time when few women in Brooksville held positions of influence. A graduate of Florida State College for Women (now Florida State University) in 1938, she went on to teach physics and English at Hernando High School throughout the 1940s before pursuing design studies at the New York School of Design.
She later joined her father, J.M. Rogers, and sister at Rogers’ Department Store, a cornerstone business in downtown Brooksville since 1912. But Margaret wasn’t content with simply maintaining tradition — she transformed it. Through creativity and resilience, she founded the Rogers’ Christmas House and Village, an iconic destination that drew national attention. According to family friend Lara Bradburn, "She did it at a time when the male-dominated establishment frowned on women in business. You have no idea how hard it was for her to start the Christmas House."
Beyond business, Ghiotto was a Brooksville City Council member, a board member of First National Bank, and served on the Lykes Memorial Hospital board, becoming a respected civic voice in traditionally male-dominated spaces. As Bradburn noted, "This is a woman who, against the odds, broke the glass ceiling in Brooksville."
In 2003, Ghiotto was named Great Brooksvillian of the Year for her lifelong contributions to the city. She passed away in 2006 at the age of 89, but her influence remains woven into the very fabric of the community.
About the Award & Artist Contest
In honor of her enduring spirit and passion for community beautification, the Brooksville Beautification Board presents the Margaret Ghiotto Beautification Award to individuals, homes, or businesses that significantly improve the visual appeal of their property. Each month, winners are recognized for their contributions to the city's charm through landscaping, design, and upkeep.
Now, to further celebrate her legacy, the City of Brooksville is hosting a contest for artists to redesign the Margaret Ghiotto Award yard sign. The goal is to create a sign that reflects her legacy — a symbol of perseverance, elegance, community pride, and the strength of women who pave the way for others.
📌 Contest Guidelines:
The design must fit an 18" x 24" metal realtor-style sign.
It should reflect the spirit of beautification, community pride, and Margaret Ghiotto’s legacy.

• The sign MUST include:
• 🏆 Margaret Ghiotto Beautification Award
• 🏡 Presented by the City of Brooksville Beautification Board
  • 🌳 The official City of Brooksville logo (which will be provided) via email
    • Logo Request Form Here                       

Original artwork only—no copyrighted materials.
Keep the design clear and visible from a distance with balanced colors and readability.

🎨 Who Can Enter?

Open to all City of Brooksville residents—artists, students, and creative minds of all ages!
🏆 Winning Design Receives:
Your artwork featured on the official award sign throughout the city!
Recognition at a City Council meeting.
A certificate of appreciation from the Beautification Board.

📅 Deadline to Submit: December 1^st
 
    Judging Criteria:

Creativity & Originality
Relevance to Beautification & Margaret Ghiotto’s Legacy
Clarity & Readability from a Distance
Professionalism & Overall Aesthetic Appeal

Let’s create a sign that celebrates Brooksville’s beauty and the lasting impact of Margaret Ghiotto! 
For questions, contact Jordan Metzel at JMetzel@cityofbrooskville.us

SUBMISSION FORM HERE         

Overview of the Beautification Board

The Beautification Board was established on November 18, 1985, by Resolution Number 85-17. Members are appointed by City Council and consist of seven voting members. In addition to the appointed members of the Board, the Articles of the Beautification Board state "A City Council member (reappointed each December), the City Manager* or his designee, and an appointed representative for the *County shall serve as ex-officio members of the Board." A non-voting Student Representative was added in 1992.

The Beautification Board is appointed by City Council and consists of six voting members and a City Council representative as amended by Resolution Number 2020-02 to allow the appointed Council Member to be a voting Member. On March 2, 2020, Council decreased the composition of the board from seven to six members with Council Members making it seven voting members.

This board is responsible for the beautification of the City of Brooksville through education of the citizens, utilizing contests, information, award programs, etc. The Board Members serve four-year staggered terms of office, all expiring in December of their respective term, as amended by Policy Number 4-2008 adopted by City Council on October 6, 2008, and are governed by Articles adopted by the Board and approved by City Council.

The terms of office are four-year terms. If interested in serving on the Beautification Board, please complete an application (PDF).

Margaret Ghiotto Beautification Award

Margaret Ghiotto was a beloved leader in Brooksville, Florida, renowned for her dedication to beautifying the city and enhancing its community spaces. Her involvement in numerous projects reflected her commitment to preserving Brooksville's charm and ensuring it remained a vibrant, welcoming place. Over the years, she participated in various beautification initiatives, inspiring those around her with her vision and devotion. In recognition of her lasting impact, the Margaret Ghiotto Beautification Award was established to honor her legacy by celebrating individuals and groups who make Brooksville a more beautiful place.

Margaret R. Ghiotto Nomination Form