OAK BROOK, IL--(Marketwire - May 23, 2011) - Ace® Hardware and The Weather Channel® yesterday revealed the winner of their Restore Your Outdoors contest, a promotion pairing Ace Hardware's helpful outdoor and lawn and garden expertise with The Weather Channel's trusted local weather knowledge. Launched on April 18, homeowners were invited to submit photos of their lackluster outdoor spaces at www.weather.com/restore for a chance to win a customized outdoor makeover.

Chosen from more than 6,500 online submissions, Steve and Katie Selman of Tampa, Fla. will receive a $15,000 outdoor makeover courtesy of Ace Hardware and The Weather Channel. The Selmans have invested a large amount of time and money trying to turn their yard into an outdoor paradise, but all they've managed to grow is weeds. An active-duty military family with five kids, two cats and one dog, this family is busy enough without the added burden of an uncooperative yard.

"We are excited to provide this makeover to the Selmans," said Lou Manfredini, Ace Hardware's Home Expert. "We take pride in offering our customers the resources and tools they need to spruce up their outdoor areas quickly and easily. Ace makes it possible for homeowners in every region to stop worrying about their yards so they can get back to enjoying their weekends."

The Selmans were announced as the winners on Sunday, May 22, on air during Weekend View on The Weather Channel, which airs 5-11 a.m. EDT. The final makeover will air as a special programming block on The Weather Channel on Sunday, May 29. Manfredini will help lead the televised makeover and select $15,000 worth of products and materials from Ace Hardware to fit the family's needs. He will also share tips and tricks for viewers considering their own outdoor makeover projects.

"This partnership with Ace Hardware has been a great opportunity for us," said Beth Lawrence, executive vice president, ad sales and media solutions for The Weather Channel Companies. "Their lawn and garden expertise combined with our trusted weather knowledge allows us to provide the Selman family with the backyard of their dreams, while showing our viewers how they can achieve similar results."

Tune in to The Weather Channel the morning of Sunday, May 29 to see the televised broadcast of the outdoor renovation. For more information on ways to turn your lawn and garden to-do list into a to-done list, stop by your neighborhood Ace Hardware, or visit www.acehardware.com.

About Ace® Hardware
For more than 85 years, Ace Hardware has been known as the helpful hardware store by both customers and communities. With 4,500 locally owned and operated hardware, home center and building materials stores, Ace is the largest hardware cooperative in the industry. Headquartered in Oak Brook, Ill., Ace currently operates 14 distribution centers in the U.S. and one in Shanghai, China, and its retailers' stores are located in all 50 states and more than 60 countries. For more information on Ace, visit www.acehardware.com.

About The Weather Channel® Companies
The Weather Channel Companies (TWCC) is made up of The Weather Channel television network, The Weather Channel digital properties, and Weather Services International (WSI). The Weather Channel® is based in Atlanta and is seen in more than 100 million U.S. households. TWC also operates Weatherscan, a 24-hour all-local weather network; The Weather Channel Radio Network; and The Weather Channel HD. The digital properties of TWC, which include the weather.com® site, The Weather Channel Desktop and The Weather Channel Mobile, reach more than 45 million unique users online each month and is the most popular source of online weather, news and information according to Nielsen//NetRatings. WSI, headquartered in Andover, MA, primarily provides business-to-business weather services, particularly for the media, aviation, marine and energy sectors. TWCC is owned by a consortium made up of NBC Universal and the private equity firms The Blackstone Group and Bain Capital. For more information, visit www.weather.com/press.