ESCANABA — Ten semifinalists were chosen for the Daily Press’ 2017 Golden Ticket contest in a drawing this morning. These semifinalists will receive a special gift package and will have a chance to win this year’s grand prize.

The children selected as this year’s semifinalists are Karia Asselin, 12, of Escanaba; Katherine Henschel, 10, of Escanaba; Charlee Klink, 9, of Garden; Braelyn LaBonte, 8, of Escanaba; Jayden Ness, 10, of Gladstone; Graison Pare, 11, of Gladstone; Lauren Pare, 8, of Gladstone; Ty Peterson, 7, of Escanaba; Emily Robinette, 12, of Escanaba, and Evan Tryan, 12, of Escanaba.

To enter the Golden Ticket contest, entrants looked through issues of the Daily Press to find peppermints listing the names of participating advertisers. Once they found these names, they wrote them on their entry forms.

All ten semifinalists will be given gift bags filled with prizes at an event scheduled to take place at a local restaurant on Dec. 29. These prizes will include passes to area attractions, puzzles, games, and more. Additionally, one of the semifinalists will win this year’s grand prize.

“It’s going to be a (Lenovo) tablet,” Daily Press Advertising Manager Terrie Belongie said of this prize.

Belongie said the Daily Press is glad to offer this contest for local children.

“Anything you do with kids is fun,” she said.

She also voiced her appreciation for the businesses that made the 2017 Golden Ticket contest possible.

“We want to thank the people who helped sponsor this event, ’cause that’s what … makes it happen,” Belongie said.

This year’s Golden Ticket contest was sponsored by Bay Area Pool and Spa, Baybank, the Bishop Noa Home for Senior Citizens, Carlyon Dentistry, Down to Earth Media, ECO Fuels and Gladstone’s Mobil, FedEx, Health Way Nutrition Center, Hoholik’s Ace Hardware, Lakestate Industries, Lakeview Assisted Living, Lisa Ann, Northern Sun Winery, the OSF St. Francis Auxiliary, Pioneer TV & Appliance, T&T True Value Hardware, Terrace Bay Hotel and Freshwater Tavern, and the Upper Peninsula State Bank.