Contact: Marie Duckworth
Community Relations Coordinator
Port of Bellingham
(360) 676-2500
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Dec. 11, 2008
Holiday Port Festival Gingerbread House Contest Winners Announced,
Event Raises $2,250 for Red Cross, 400 lbs of Food for Bellingham Food Bank
[Bellingham, Wash.] The Holiday Port Festival's Gingerbread House Contest received 90 entries this year that showed off the spectacular creativity and imagination of local Bellingham and Whatcom County residents. Ginger creations ranged from traditional houses to a re-creation of the Lord of the Rings - Helm's Deep battle. Other entries in the 13th annual contest included Garbage Day: A Tribute to SSC, Candyland - the board game, the Lynden Library and the story "Goodnight Moon" - all created in gingerbread.
Gingerbread House Contest entries were judged based on presentation, quality of construction, originality and detail and design. The "People's Choice Award" this year went to Flip Breskin for her recreation of "Goodnight Moon." This award is chosen by event visitors who voted for their favorite ginger creation throughout the festival. The People's Choice winner received two tickets to the San Juans donated by Victoria San Juan Cruises. First place in each category also received a prize. This year's prizes were donated by: Brenthaven, Inside Passage Native Crafts and Gifts, Mallard's Ice Cream, Sorellas by the Bay, Victoria San Juan Cruises, Village Books and the Upfront Theater.
Most of the gingerbread entries were donated to a silent auction which raised more than $1,400 for the Mount Baker Chapter of the American Red Cross. In addition, Red Cross volunteers received $850 in direct donations at the refreshment table they staffed during the three-day festival. Event patrons also donated 400 lbs of food for the Bellingham Food Bank as part of the festival's first food drive.
13th Annual Gingerbread House Contest Winners
People's Choice Award: Flip Breskin "Goodnight Moon"
Preschool (Age 5 and under)
1st The Bellingham Childcare and Learning Center ‘Teddy Bears'
2nd Love to Learn Preschool
3rd Parker Kiniry
Grades K - 3
1st Kailey Kabo
2nd Whatcom Day Academy
3rd Alex Kelsh
Grades 4 - 8
1st Hana Verry
2nd Ona Kovacs and Devon Wyandt
3rd Ethan Behee
Grades 9 - 12
1st Alex Hyman
2nd Kourtney Cadle
Family:
1st Joyce Rivers and Sarah Jane Hillard
2nd Clarke Family "Lord of the Rings - Battle of Helms Deep"
3rd Maya and Sidney Haggen and Isabel and Lucas Jones "Gingerbread Train"
Individual (Adult)
1st Flip Breskin "Goodnight Moon"
2nd Cecily Tilley "Cinnabear Tree"
3rd Janet Boyhan "Lynden Library"
Business/Non-profit Organization
1st St. Francis Intergenerational Program
Senior/Senior Organization
1st Llewellyn Hollingsworth
2nd Vonnie Chantriu
Holiday Port is a free, family-friendly event held on the first weekend in December every year. The event features music, dancing and performances by local bands and choirs, free horse-drawn wagon rides, pictures with Santa, a gingerbread house display, children's art activities and much more. The event is presented by the Port of Bellingham, and proudly supported by Applied Digital Imaging, Artiem Photography, BP Cherry Point, Costco, Passion Audio and Rainier Petroleum. Gingerbread contest prizes are generously donated by Brenthaven, Inside Passage Native Crafts and Gifts, Mallard's Ice Cream, Sorellas on the Bay, Village Books, the Upfront Theater and Victoria San Juan Cruises.
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