Around the end of November and the start of December, things begin to get a little competitive at Jo-Lin Health Center.

That is because each year the staff and residents compete in a Christmas decoration contest.

Dubbed the Spirit Award, the contest pits the four stations of the nursing home against each other in an effort to have the most Christmas spirit.

“It gets to be a real competition for the staff to out-do one another,” Becky Robbins, RN quality assurance, said. “There’s always that competitive spirit.”

The contest has been an annual event since 2006. Each year, the contest spurs more and more excitement.

“It’s picked up over the years,” Robbins said. “After they saw that they got a plaque it got better.”

This year the award went to the middle station of the health center. The middle station’s display featured a Christmas tree, lights and Christmas music.

“It’s the tree I think and the music that really did it for us,” David Rotter, a paramedic at Patriot EMS, said. Rotter and his wife, Vicki, judged the award this year.

This is the first time the middle section has won the award.

“All the stations are pretty,” Debbie Harper, charge LPN, said. “I like every one of them. We’re just happy.”

More than just a competition, staff and residents alike say the decorations help to boost spirits.

“It puts everyone in a little better spirit,” Charlie Sands, a resident, said.

Nurse aide Jedi Casey agreed.

“It looks nice, it cheers you up,” he said.