Four-year-old Malarie Nix chooses name "Ficey" for Fire & Ice WinterFest mascot
(Talk of the Town photos by Jennifer Zartman Romano) Above, at center, Malarie Nix was recognized this morning for choosing the winning name for the 2011 Fire & Ice WinterFest's mascot. From left is Jenee Nix, Malarie Nix and Sara Lochner-Goff of the Whitley County Chamber of Commerce. Below, a closeup image of "Ficey." Beneath, Malarie Nix shares coloring pages of the Fire & Ice WinterFest mascot "Ficey" with her Big Lake Church of God preschool classmates this morning. Nix's classmates joined in a brief recognition ceremony for her this morning during snack time.
By Jennifer Zartman Romano
To say Malarie Nix was a little excited to receive an award this morning would be a major understatement.
Nix, the four-year-old daughter of Ryan and Jenee Nix of Columbia City, was selected as the winner of the Whitley County Chamber of Commerce's Fire & Ice WinterFest's name the mascot contest. 
With numerous entries submitted by local school children, a committee spent much of Thursday afternoon combing through great possibilities before choosing "Ficey" as the mascot's name. Nix received a phone call Thursday evening notifying her that she had won and she would be recognized at her school today.
Sara Lochner-Goff, president of the Whitley County Chamber of Commerce arrived at Big Lake Church of God's preschool this morning to formally announce Nix's win and to invite her to participate in the opening ceremonies for the 2011 Fire & Ice WinterFest, an event slated for January 22-23, 2011, in downtown Columbia City. Nix will accompany "Ficey" into the the downtown area amid great fanfare.
Nix had selected the name "Ficey," a combination of fire and icy, and submitted her entry on December 18 during the Columbia City Downtown Business Association's Breakfast with Santa event at the CC Deli. Nix attended the breakfast with her mother, Jenee, sister, Maycee, and her grandmother, Cheryl McDevitt.
Lochner-Goff said that numerous name entries were submitted during the breakfast and for several days afterward.
For selecting the mascot's name, Nix will receive a one-of-a-kind sweatshirt embroidered with "Ficey" on it, a certificate for selecting the winning entry and recognition during the event on Saturday, January 22.
The annual Fire & Ice WinterFest features professional ice carving demonstrations and contests, a 5K race, children's activities, ice cream eating contests, a chili cook-off, hot pepper eating contest, vendors and a bazaar inside the Clugston Building. Keep watching Talk of the Town for full details.
