Little Houses That Help Build Big Houses

During the Christmas season, the Sunriver Resort is host to a heartwarming holiday tradition that brings the entire community together to share in a little sweet creativity and help support local families in need. Now in its 21st year, Gingerbread Junction will take place from Dec. 3, 2016 through Jan. 1, 2017 when the resort’s Abbot Room will be transformed into a literal candy land.

A fundraiser for Newberry Habitat, a local branch of Habitat for Humanity International, Gingerbread Junction features as many as 70 elaborately decorated gingerbread houses on display. The 2016 event also brings a new addition: The resort’s culinary team will create a giant gingerbread house that will be erected in the main lobby.

“This event has grown to bring in dozens of entries from businesses, schools and organizations from all over Central Oregon, as well as to generate a little healthy competition among the different departments within Sunriver Resort,” said Molly Johnson, director of marketing communications for the resort. “There is a natural tie between having participants build gingerbread homes and helping to build real homes for families in need.” In 2015, the resort raised more than $3,000 for Newberry Habitat, and Johnson said the goal for 2016 is to raise at least $5,000.

The Gingerbread Junction contest is open to anyone, and participants enter by completing an entry form, which is due by Nov. 23. Entrants purchase a “lot” for sale in the Gingerbread Junction “development,” and then build a gingerbread house to put on the lot. Lots are available in three different sizes ranging in price from $15 to $50, and the gingerbread houses that are placed on them must be at least 51 percent edible. In many cases, businesses purchase the lots and then donate the space to local schools so students can create the gingerbread houses. Sunriver Resort matches the entry donations dollar for dollar up to $2,500.

The houses are judged and ribbons are awarded for first, second and third place in each of a number of different categories.

“I think it’s super fun. It’s a good chance to be creative, and it’s really fun at the end when we get to go on a fieldtrip and see what the other classes have done,” said Abbie Wydra, a fifth-grader at Three Rivers School, in Sunriver. “It’s really, really cool that they are raising money for Habitat for Humanity.”

Wydra said her classes have participated in Gingerbread Junction almost every year since she started school. In third grade, her class created a gingerbread schoolhouse with swing sets and slides and little characters with cutout faces on them, she said.

“When we went to Gingerbread Junction, I remember seeing a ‘Little Old Lady Who Lived in a Shoe’ display, a golf course display and lots of different creations,” she said.

Dwane Krumme, executive director of Newberry Habitat, said the relationship between Newberry Habitat and Sunriver Resort goes way back, and has gotten stronger over the years.

“We have a common interest, because many employees of the resort live in La Pine, which is where we are mainly focused,” said Krumme. “We now have one and will soon have two employees of the resort who are Newberry Habitat homeowners.

“Gingerbread Junction is really a program that is another manifestation of Sunriver Resort’s commitment to helping the people of Southern Deschutes County,” Krumme added. The connection between the two organizations has become so strong that Krumme described it as a “passion of the heart” for both entities.

“What I love about Gingerbread Junction is that it’s in the spirit of Christmas fun,” said Krumme. “The exhibits are incredibly creative. Everybody gets together for this event from all walks of life. It’s one of those good clean things people love to do.”

“It’s really beautiful,” agreed Carol Foisset, a kindergarten teacher at Three Rivers School who has been participating in Gingerbread Junction for nearly a decade. Foisset said she appreciates the creative outlet the program provides for her young students.

“It’s fun for our kids. Some of them don’t normally get to the resort, so this gives them a chance to go see it when it’s all decorated,” she said. As a lover of literature, Foisset said she typically has her class pick a theme for their gingerbread house that centers around a classic story. Last year, the class did a house based off “The Enormous Turnip,” a fairy tale about the importance of working with others to accomplish a goal.

“It’s really fun that our kids can be a part of something that brings joy to so many people,” she said. “And it’s for a great cause. This is pretty powerful for young kids. They walk in and say, ‘We did that!’”

Newberry Habitat, a local nonprofit that is the recipient of funds raised by Sunriver Resort’s Gingerbread Junction, is Southern Deschutes County’s arm of Habitat for Humanity International, an organization dedicated to helping low-income families become homeowners.

Since Newberry Habitat’s founding in 1993, it has built 27 homes for families in the region, with two more homes scheduled for dedication by January 2017. Its current build rate is three homes per year, said Dwane Krumme, executive director.

“We serve South Deschutes County, from Sunriver down,” he said. “But we don’t give homes away. We work with prospective homeowners who spend a year in preparation classes and put in 400 hours of sweat equity.”

Families who work with Newberry Habitat must qualify by demonstrating verifiable income, and then are required to put in the 400 hours of volunteer work building their house or other Habitat homes, and working in ReStore, Habitat’s home improvement thrift store.

“It’s a partnership, and they have to do their share,” said Krumme. “Our desire is for them to own the home, to be successful at it, and to be contributing members of society. It is a life-changing mission to provide affordable housing to these families, and they really work hard on it.”

Money to pay for the home building is raised from grants, private donations, fundraising events and the ReStore, located in La Pine. Fundraising events include Gingerbread Junction and the Showcase/Crosswater Invitational, both hosted by Sunriver Resort. The “Showcase of Golf, Wine, Spirits, Cheese & Brew” takes place in August, and features the Crosswater Invitational, an 18-hole golf tournament on the private Crosswater course. This year’s Showcase event raised $61,000 for Newberry Habitat, Krumme said.

“Sunriver Resort is a very community-minded company. They really do a lot.”

For more information about Newberry Habitat, visit www.newberryhabitat.org.