by David Chapman
Staff Writer
The holidays might be fast approaching, but gingerbread season has officially kicked off.
The Rotary Club of South Jacksonville initiated this year’s edition of the Gingerbread House Extravaganza, the competitive gingerbread house building event by local individuals and organizations to benefit local charities, yesterday during its weekly meeting at River City Brewing Company.
It’s the seventh year the organization has undertaken the fundraiser, with more than $560,000 raised for local charities to date. This year’s benefitting charities include the Ronald McDonald House of Jacksonville, HabiJax and Jacksonville Historical Society.
“It really is a wonderful event,” said R. Dean Scott, chair of this year’s event. “We do this for our beneficiaries.”
Over the years, though, the event has become bigger than South Jacksonville Rotary could handle — so Scott announced the group will collaborate with the Rotary Club of North Jacksonville and Rotaract Club of Florida’s First Coast.
The groups will begin setting up the display Saturday, which for the third year in a row will be at the Jacksonville Historical Society (formerly the Old St. Andrews Church) at 317 Phillip A. Randolph Blvd. with public viewing beginning Nov. 28 and running Wednesday–Saturday 11 a.m.–5 p.m. until just before Christmas.
Tickets will be $5 for adults, $3 for children, and while a normal year might garner $50,000–$100,000, Dean said the uncertain economy could influence monetary and attendance figures. Still, he expects the seven year total to exceed $600,000 and this year’s attendance to range somewhere between 2,000–3,000 people.
More than 40 gingerbread structures are expected to be submitted for the display, with winners to be announced during a special preview party Tuesday. Additionally, winners will be awarded $1,000, $750 and $500 cash prizes for placing in the top three, respectively.
“We’re looking forward to it and think it’ll be an exciting year,” said Dean.
For the charities it benefits, the additional funds they receive through the project help during the holiday season as well.
“We’re so honored to be a part of an event like this,” said Joy Hardaker, Ronald McDonald House executive director.
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