Gingerbread Lane Sparkles and the Shops at Crestwood Honor the Holidays

For the seven years in a row, I have been a judge for Gingerbread Lane, a benefit for the Children’s Center for the Visually Impaired. This year, the judging fell on Giving Tuesday, the newly designated day to give back after all the craziness of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. It seemed so fitting to take a stroll up and down the sidewalk and into the stores that make up the Shops at Crestwood.

It really is a privilege each year to be a judge. Holidays in Crestwood benefits the Children’s Center for the Visually Impaired (CCVI). In addition to special events, the local merchants donate a percentage of their sales to CCVI. Holidays in Crestwood featuring Gingerbread Lane will be here soon — Dec. 4, 5 and 6.

Cheri Elder, owner of Sweet Bliss Cakery, Blue Springs, has been in the cake business for more than 40 years. Her creations are always something to behold each and every year. This year, Elder created a large and elaborate piece called Over the River and Through the Woods. She has a horse-drawn sleigh with a family heading to visit Grandma.

Elder didn’t know about CCVI when she was recruited as a contestant. “I didn’t know they had a school here in the city,” she expounds. “Several of us took a tour and saw how much help children receive. It’s just wonderful.” CCVI offers visually-impaired children skills that include a variety of real-life experiences designed to increase independence and develop self-confidence. CCVI currently serves about 212 children from both sides of the state line: 105 children in the Infant Program, 50 children in the Preschool & Kindergarten Program, plus 24 sighted peers, and 33 children in the Outreach Program.

The emphasis on aiding children at CCVI and those who come to see the gingerbread houses prove to Elder that her time and devotion to this contest is worth it. Her daughter, Pamala Lair, now competes in the gingerbread contest too. She created A Golden Nutcracker’s Braille Christmas Wish, complete with holiday wishes to be read and felt. Another favorite is Ginny Pilarz’s Steorra Queen of the Stars Castle. Pilarz received her inspiration from a Venetian style mask and created a whimsical and fantastical creation truly fit for a queen.

Other designers that always strike me include André and Elsbeth Bollier (Andre’s Confiserie Suisse) and their family members. There’s also Nellie Metcalf of Nellie’s Custom Cakes out of Claycomo and some designers from Trezo Mare who created a replica of Charles and Patty Garney’s Briarcliff home.

Needless to say, being a judge for this contest is just plain hard. I was impressed with every chef’s efforts and Elder’s in particular. They are the sweetest representations of Christmas. Of course, having done stories on CCVI and all the good things they do to help low vision and blind children, it’s pretty easy to be a judge and share the word about the good things are going on at CCVI and the Shops at Crestwood.