Votes for the best gingerbread house leads to a donation to DuPage PADS program
Residents followed the map of gingerbread houses in local businesses to vote for their favorite decorated house. Votes were collected by making a donation to the ballot box.
Thirteen businesses participated and together collected $615.
The highest votes were collected by Bloomingdale Chiropractor, whose theme was a "Nightmare Before Christmas," collected over $215.
Second place was Platt Hill Nursery who made a gingerbread greenhouse with $86 in donated votes.
At each location, the residents received a stamp on their map and returned their completed map to the Bloomingdale Chamber of Commerce to be entered to win $200 cash.
This program was made possible by two generous sponsors, Pan American Bank and Trust and S.B.C. Waste Solutions.
The program was to help promote local businesses and the importance of staying local with shopping and dining.
"It was a fun time making the gingerbread houses," said Mike Davison of Platt Hill Nursery while presenting the check to Father Jim Murphy of St. Isidore Parish, "and hopefully you'll come around and see them, they are still out and make it a bigger event next year."
The Bloomingdale Chamber added to the donations collected to make the donation to St. Isidore Parish an even $650. The money will help pay for meals for DuPage PADS clients.
"This (the donation) will go toward meals which are provided for our PADS clients since we can't have them overnight. At this point, the PADS program is putting them up in local hotels and extended stays and we help provide meals along with the local restaurants."
A list of the businesses participating can be found at www.BloomingdaleHolidays.com.
Other seasonal events and activities are listed on this site along with the Holiday Trees, still taking place until Sunday, Jan. 3, when the last drawing for multiple weekly gift cards takes place.
It was the local businesses who made this donation possible. They assembled the gingerbread houses to give our local residents a safe family holiday activity.
Local businesses also decorated the 17 trees at Bloomingdale Court Shopping Center on Army Trail Road and are providing gift cards for the Holiday Trees weekly raffle. Local businesses give back to their local community. This is another reason why it is important to shop local.
The Bloomingdale Chamber of Commerce supports the success and growth of businesses and the community. Membership is open to any business who wants to invest in their own growth through promoting their business through marketing, sponsorships and building relationships. The chamber offers a variety of free and fee based events making it possible for members to get involved and be known.