Barack Obama and a new Democratic Congress are not the only winners smiling these days.

Brentwood's April Farrier won a trip to Hollywood and Ford Motor Co. rewarded her with a "red carpet" trip to Hollywood last week as a semifinalist in the national Ford Drives U to the "Reel World" Sweepstakes.

College students registered online to win the grand prize of a 2009 Ford Focus. April, a student at Westminster College, didn't get the car. But, along with seven other semifinalists, she was flown to Los Angeles for a two-day trip around Hollywood, stopping at hot spots such as Rodeo Drive and the famous HOLLYWOOD sign. The group rubbed shoulders with celebrities at the premiere of "Max Payne,'' an action-thriller starring Mark Wahlberg,

"This was such an amazing experience," April said. "I've never done anything like this; I'm in awe.''

Although April was not grand prize winner, she didn't go home a loser. She and other semifinalists received sleek, pocket-sized video cameras from Flip Video that they used to capture the highlights of their trip.

For more, visit www.forddrivesu.com.

Now that the election frenzy is over, we all can get a good snooze. They sure did at the South Hills Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh, in Scott, where pajamas and slippers where the order of the day at the recent Biggest Jewish Bedtime Story Ever.

The goal was to introduce the national PJ Library -- PJ as in pajamas -- which provides free Jewish books to children under 5 years of age to encourage reading to children at night, while also communicating Jewish stories, heritage and values.

Tracy Royston, community leadership development director at the United Jewish Federation of Pittsburgh, said the open event was also a means to reach out to those with little awareness of the Jewish community.

It was modeled after The Biggest Bedtime Story Ever, staged annually in Pittsburgh by READ! 365, a communitywide campaign to encourage involvement in early literacy.

During the hour, 40 children, ages 6 months to 9 years, made crafts, sang songs and had two stories read to them: "Noah's Bed'' and "It's Challah Time!''

The former was about the fun Eber had helping grandfather Noah build the ark, and care for all the animals and the fear he experienced on stormy nights on rough waters.

The latter was about making challah bread for Jewish holidays.

"At this age they have questions about things, like the right thing to do. This is a good start,'' Mrs. Royston said.

PJ Library is funded nationally in partnership with the Harold Grinspoon Foundation and local philanthropists/organizations.

Every month, a book or CD will be mailed to each enrolled child to keep, accompanied by a resource guide for parents.

The federation raised enough money to cover the $60 per child cost for up to 1,300 children. So far, more than 500 children have signed on.

The first two years are free. To continue for a third year, the cost is $18.

Parents can sign up at www.pjlibrary.org.