Photo by Deb Gau The mural by the Lee-Mar Ranch Equine Center won first place in the Lockwood Motors graffiti contest in Marshall. Winners in the art contest were announced Monday.

MARSHALL — Area nonprofits put a lot of effort and color into the Lockwood Motors graffiti contest last week — and while the three top entries were announced Monday evening, everyone came away a winner.

“I want to thank all the artists for really turning this into something special,” owner Chet Lockwood said.

Based on the number of “likes” the art received on social media, the mural representing Marshall Food4Kids won third place in the contest, Lockwood said. Tracy Area Animal Rescue won second place, and the Lee-Mar Ranch Equine Center near Granite Falls won first place.

Additionally, Lockwood said all the other contest entries would also receive a prize from Lockwood Motors.

Over the weekend, members of the public got a chance to vote for their favorite out of about 23 different murals painted on the former C&N Game Room Outlet building in Marshall. Each piece of artwork represented a different nonprofit. Entries were competing for a first-place prize of $5,000, a second-place prize of $2,500 and a third-place prize of $1,500.

Winners were announced Monday evening as area residents gathered outside the C&N building. Lockwood Motors hosted a cookout with music by Kayla Daniels and burgers grilled by the Lyon County Cattleman’s Association.