GRAND MARAIS -- The Readers Digest vote for Grand Marais to win $40,000 wrapped up at 11:59 p.m. on Monday, and at last count, Grand Marais finished above all competitors.
The race was within 5,000 votes at times, but Grand Marais finished almost 100,000 over the nearest competitor, Fairbury, Illinois.
Grand Marais plans to use the money from the competition to help rebuild the 1,200 foot breakwater. The harbor is filling up with sand, and a new breakwater would help alleviate that problem.
The Reeves family of Grand Marais set up an informational booth at the Westwood Mall in Marquette Township Saturday. From open to close, they shared information about their harbor and why it's so crucial to the community. Hundreds of people signed up to cast their votes and show their support for the project.
"We've had very good response. A lot of people have already voted because they're from Marquette; they voted already and a lot of people are very receptive, even people that are not from our state that have been here, and they told us that they are voting for us," says co-organizer Brenda Reeves.
A few area businesses donated supplies so the booth could function in the middle of the mall.
Readers Digest hasn't officially announced the winner yet, but Grand Marais had a commanding lead at the finish.
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