Area gingerbread contractors creatively aid western NC relief
Published 12:00 am Sunday, December 22, 2024
- Callie Caldwell, left, and Maren Meeks wheel their gingerbread house creation into the Omni Grove Park in Asheville. The annual gingerbread house competition was cancelled after Hurricane Helene ravaged the area, but these cookie constructors still contributed theirs to help lift spirits in the community. Millie Caldwell brings up the rear. - Submitted
ASHEVILLE — After Hurricane Helene decimated western North Carolina, a gingerbread house competition at the Omni Grove Park Inn was canceled.
However, organizers invited those who planned to compete to still donate their creations to the area.
Two young cookie contractors, Callie Caldwell and Maren Meeks, who are neighbors, friends and classmates at Millbridge Elementary, started working on their gingerbread house submission before Labor Day.
It was taken to downtown Asheville’s toy store Curio and donated to help provide joy and raise money for those in need.
Their creation draws inspiration from a book they checked out at the Rowan Public Library South Branch called “Mermaid School.”
When the competition was cancelled the Omni Grove Park asked anybody that still wanted to bring their gingerbread to please do so. Undeterred, the girls kept working and finished their gingerbread creation.
They delivered the gingerbread and were given a free night at the hotel.
The creation features two mermaids, one blonde and one redhead like the girls. One of their favorite things on it is a giant gummy shark.
Curio’s owner said that the fun and colorful creation was providing a lot of joy to his toy store.
Hopefully, the other 45 gingerbread creations similarly helped spread joy around Asheville.
