Egg Harbor City Lake swan boat naming contest has two winners
Mullica Township residents separately suggest Odette from ballet 'Swan Lake'
Mullica Township residents separately suggest Odette from ballet 'Swan Lake'
The Swan, Swanny, Skimmer and The Duck.
They were among 240 names - some better than others - submitted in a contest to name the new swan-shaped paddleboat at Egg Harbor City Lake.
One name, suggested by two different people, won: Odette - the Swan Queen from the famous ballet "Swan Lake."
On Friday, winners Steven Petrosh Jr. and Nancy Rizzo, both of Mullica Township, accepted their prizes. They each got free rides on the swan, free season badges for the lake and two rentals of the picnic tables reserved for parties.
They also got a complimentary ride that afternoon, making a figure-eight in the water, with the name they chose as a decal on the boat's stern.
Steven, 7, went above and beyond the call of duty with his entry, sending in a picture of the swan, a ballerina, and an explanation for his choice.
"Odette is a name of the beautiful and kind swan from the famous ballet 'Swan Lake,'" he typed. "We would love to see Odette 'glide' across the Egg Harbor City Lake this summer."
Rizzo, a teacher at the Charles L. Spragg Elementary School, is a fan of Tchaikovsky, and congratulated Steven on his selection as well.
"We love writers," she said with a laugh.
Councilwoman Lisa Jiampetti said the contest was as unbiased as possible. Each entry was judged without the name of the person who submitted it, and she said the judge was an unnamed person at a local newspaper, the Egg Harbor City News.
The city bought the boat with money left over from last year's budget, Jiampetti said. It cost $2,700 and was part of a series of projects to revitalize the lake.
The boat can be rented for the rest of the summer, with $5 getting a 30 minute ride.
It apparently is enjoyable, judging from Rizzo's and Steven's faces as they paddled around, and their reaction when they returned to the dock.
"What a ride," Rizzo said.
"It was fun," Steven said.
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