Charity begins at these homes

Geneva's second annual Gingerbread House Competition has a pretty sweet top prize.

Thanks to organizer Alain Roby's connections, the winner gets a dinner party for eight in the Monarch Suite at the Hyatt Regency Chicago hotel, an overnight stay and breakfast the next day.

The whole deal is valued at $10,000.

Second and third prizes aren't too shabby either. Second is a gift basket of imported food items and four tickets to watch the Bears' Dec. 30 game in the Cadillac Club at Soldier Field. Third place receives a hand-finished bowl, handmade wild cherry utensils and a gift certificate. People's Choice gets a package to the Herrington Inn and Spa.

And the icing on the tasty roof? It's all for the benefit of Fox Valley Volunteer Hospice.

Roby, a Geneva resident, runs the gingerbread contest along with his wife, Esther. Last year, money was donated to Delnor-Community Hospital's pediatric and maternity units. Forty-eight people entered. A Geneva family that made a Route 66 gas station won.

"To bring the family together building a house, I think is wonderful," said Roby, pointing out another advantage of the contest.

Roby is the senior corporate pastry chef for Hyatt hotels and resorts. When he explained what he was doing to his bosses, they said "whatever you need," he said.

"You have to have the support," Roby said, ticking off sponsors and prize donors.

For example, the Past Basket, Midwest Imports and Shodeen Inc. have donated prize material.

The Robys like organizations that help children. The Geneva-based hospice approached them and, after learning more about the hospice's bereavement programs for children, they signed on.

"What they do over there is pretty amazing," Roby said.

Roby does not judge the entries. He leaves that up to the jury, which consists of chefs from Niche restaurant and A Moveable Feast caterer; Graham's Chocolates owner Bob Untiedt; Geneva history expert Merritt King; Geneva Chamber of Commerce President Jean Gaines; resident Kathleen Rex; and Mayor Kevin Burns and his wife, Terry, the activities director of Geneva High School.

Roby is also thrilled about the new location for displaying the houses, a street-level handicapped-accessible room in St. Mark's Episcopal Church, 320 Franklin St.

Entry forms and a $10 fee are due Dec. 2 at the hospice's headquarters, 200 Whitfield Drive, Geneva. The houses will be displayed Dec. 7 and 8 during Geneva's Christmas Walk celebration. Admission is $5 per person, $10 per family.

The maximum base size is 12 by 17 inches. And everything visible must be edible.

For more information or to register, visit www.FVVH.org or call Jackie Lowe at (630) 232-2233, ext. 228.