St. Luke’s Nursing Center hosted its third annual gingerbread house contest Monday, Dec. 8, 2008.
Sue Joslen, administrator at St. Luke’s, stated this year was a record turnout with 22 entries.
The entries could come from individuals, groups or organizations.
The participators had about four weeks to prepare their gingerbread houses for the auction on Monday evening.
The main instructions according to Joslen were that “…everything visible must be edible.”
Much creativity and innovation went into these intricately decorated gingerbread houses.
The entries were split into two divisions for the contest judges.
The judging was based on several areas of completion including: difficulty, creativity, detail, appearance and adherence to the rules.
The senior division represented area youth ages 15 and higher.
There were 11 entries in the senior division.
The entry titles were as follows:
#1 “Bluebirds Paradise”, #2 “Christmas Train”, #3 Christmas Treasures”, #4 This Side of Winter Night”, #5 “Santas ‘Round the World”, #6 “Grandpa’s Cabin,” #7 “Community Winter Wonderland,” #8 “Santa’s Retreat”, #9 “Home Sweet Home”, #10 “Salt Lake City Temple”, #11 “Let your light shine it”.
The junior division represented area youth ages 14 and under.
The entry titles were as follows:
#1 “I think I can… I think I can”, #2 “Wonder Park”, #3 “Pleasant Valley”, #4 “Blue Steel”, #5 “ Little House on the Prairie”, #6 “On Our Way to Mimis”, #7 The Fantastic Igloo”, #8 “Pretty in Pink”, #9 Black Forest”, #10 “Santa Express, #11 Head Start School”.
Cash prizes and certificates were given to first, second and third place winners in each division.
First place senior division went to “Santa’s Retreat”.
Second place senior division went to “Santas ‘Round the World”.
Third place senior division went to “Community Wonderland”.
First place junior division went to “Pretty in Pink”.
Second place junior division went to “Black Forest”.
Third place junior division went to “I think I can… I think I can”.
Once the judging and award announcements were completed, local professional auctioneer Wayne Ytell auctioned off each gingerbread house creation to the audience.
Joslen stated that the money raised from the auction would go to the enhancement of the St. Luke’s residents’ patio and gardens.
“The board of St. Luke’s looked online for creative ideas and decided on the gingerbread house contest as something that had not been done in this area,” said Joslen.
“We hope to build up interest in activities like this for the four states.
“Hopefully someday the contest and auction will become so big that the event would have to move to Memorial Hall.”
