Gulf Breeze resident wins second place in 'Messiest Car' contest
BY FRANKLIN HAYES Gulf Breeze News franklin@gulfbreezenews.com

Gulf Breeze resident Joyce Fisher was chosen as a second-place winner from among hundreds of individuals who submitted entries in the first annual MyLife, MyCar, MyMess online contest.

Fisher said she drives more than 60 miles just to get to work, a furniture store she manages in Grayton Beach - a small town east of Destin. Fisher said she always brings her 2-year-old, male, blue point Himalayan cat, Shelby, along for the hour and a half long drive down the emerald coast.

"Shelby's been going to work with me for the past two years," Fisher said, adding that she typically brings along a cat box, toys and cat food for the trip. "You have to do that because it's a long drive."

Fisher said her white 1997 Chrysler Seabring was eligible for the rubbish contest due to Shelby's constant shedding and her furniture deliveries. The Gulf Breeze resident and Memphis, Tenn. native said her car racked up over 200,000 miles, prompting her to trade it in for a 2006 Jeep Liberty. Fisher said her main inspiration for joining the competition was to win a new car.

"My pictures just weren't as messy as the winner's," she said.

Fisher's winning entry included photos of her messy automobile, as well as a poem written from the point of view of her cat, Shelby, describing how her life on the go has led to the chaotic state of her ride.

Franklin Hayes/Gulf Breeze News Some of the sights inside Joyce Fisher's award-winning messy car.

"I love to eat, imagine what I did to the seats," the poem states. "I don't mean to sound rough, but sometimes a boy has to do his stuff... Mom works hard to pay the bills, our car is our home on wheels. There was a time when the car was shiny and new, now it's old and has rust coming through."

From Sept. 12 to Oct. 16, 2006, messy car owners were encouraged to visit MyLifeMyCarMyMess.com to post up to five photos of their car, plus a short essay explaining the turmoil in his or her vehicle. An online voting component was also added for visitors to rate the cars on a scale of Squeaky Clean to Dumpster on Wheels.

Contest sponsors YES Essentials and Chrysler Brand then presented the winning family with an all-new 2007 Pacifica, and filmed a day-in-the-life video to find out how the winner's busy lifestyle caused the mess in the first place.

Franklin Hayes/Gulf Breeze News Shelby has no problems riding in her owner's messy car.

As a second-place winner, Fisher received a set of custom-cut YES Essentials floor mats for the messy ride she entered.

Additional prizes included a car upgrade with YES Essentials seat covers, floor and trunk mats for first-place winners.

The winning entries were selected by an independent judging panel, and can be found at www.MyLifeMyCarMyMess.com.

"We've had a lot of fun with this contest - it evolved into a support group for messy car owners, with participants representing nearly every state in the country telling a unique story about their 'life on the go.'" said Stacy Walker, marketing communications manager for YES Essentials products. "After reviewing the entries, we are convinced that in order to find out just how your neighbor lives, you only need to peek through their car window!"

According to a recent study by contest sponsor Milliken & Company, Americans are over-scheduled, over-worked and overcommitted through trying to meet the daily demands of a career, family and friends. However, drivers still want to keep their car free of dirt and debris without committing to a daily car interior cleaning regimen.

Milliken research also showed that 70 percent of drivers surveyed rated getting a vehicle clean with as little effort as possible as one of the most important factors in maintaining a vehicle.

Based on the research, and in an effort to cater to drivers' busy lifestyles, Milliken developed an automotive fabric technology able to withstand and repel even the worst stains, to keep car interiors lasting longer and looking better. YES Essentials interior fabrics and floor mats can stand up against spilled coffee, dropped ketchup and smeared lipstick, which come right out of the woven fibers, according the manufacturer. The fabric also reduces static electricity, preventing shocks from sliding in and out of car seats, and resists odorscausing bacteria growth.