Housing Transitions Inc. (HTI) held its second-annual gingerbread house sale and raffle this weekend at the Nittany Mall.
HTI is an agency of the United Way that seeks to provide housing and other services for those in need. The proceeds of the raffle and sale go to the Centre House Emergency Shelter, a local living option for the homeless.
About 75 gingerbread houses were donated by an array of children and adults in the community. Elementary school children, Girl Scout troops and professional wedding cake bakers submitted entries. Some Penn State students also helped the cause. Gamma Sigma Sigma and the Health and Human Development Honor Society donated houses for the sale. Students from the Mitte Scholarship Program donated their time by helping to set up for the event and working during the sale to help with the customers.
This event was one way HTI is combating the United Way's stagnant funding. "When the United Way hurts, we hurt," said Jackie Sobel, Centre House staff member and coordinator of the event.
In addition to being a fund-raising opportunity, Sobel also sees the sale as being part of an awareness campaign.
"A lot of people don't realize there's a homeless issue in Centre County," she said.
She said 40 percent of the funding for the shelter comes from donations.
Rachel Bachman (freshman-actuarial science) said community service is an aspect of the Mitte Scholarship Program. She said volunteering at smaller projects gives them ideas for larger projects that they might want to pursue.
"It's a way for us to get introduced to service opportunities in the community," said Shawn Gordon (freshman-accounting), a student involved in the program.
The houses were judged Friday and the top three were chosen for a raffle. People purchased raffle tickets throughout the weekend and the winners were drawn last night. The people who made the top three houses received prizes donated by various local businesses. All other houses were sold for $15 to $20.
"It actually costs more to make them," Sobel said. Along with the gingerbread house sale and raffle, HTI was selling gingerbread men tree ornaments and gingerbread cookies for children to decorate.
