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Gingerbread House Decorating Event Raises Nearly $600 for Carpenters Shelter

Vote now for your favorite gingerbread house. Opportunity ends Dec. 20

Photo courtesy Federal Conference

Correction: The first version of this story said the event raised nearly $6,000 for Carpenters Shelter. The actual amount is around $600.

ALEXANDRIA, VA -The holiday season is all about giving to others, especially those in need. On Wednesday, Dec. 8, the 4th annual Gingerbread Decorating Event, sponsored by Visit Alexandria and Federal Conference, raised almost $600 for Carpenters Shelter, the local nonprofit that supports homeless and transitioning families and individuals. The event, also sponsored in part by Embassy Suites in Old Town, gathered meeting planners from around the D.C. region, which resulted in a record number of participants.

“Bringing people together around an important cause such as Carpenters Shelter is part of our mission within the city of Alexandria,” said Carla Bascope-Hebble, VP of Sales at Visit Alexandria. “The hospitality and meeting planner industry was hit hard over the past two years, but we wanted to keep this tradition moving forward and focus on the positive impact it makes.”

“Caring for people not only during the winter months but throughout the year is so important to us at Federal Conference,” said Phillip Saims, VP of Sales at Federal Conference. “The meeting and conference industry has the most caring individuals who truly enjoy helping others.”

Left to right – Carla Bascope-Hebble, Visit Alexandria, Phillip Saims, Federal Conference, Jamila Smith – Community Relations Manager & Lawrence Smith-Director of Programs, Carpenters Shelter (Photo courtesy Federal Conference)

Pictures of the gingerbread houses constructed appear on Federal Conference’s Facebook page. Zebra’s readers can vote for their favorite! The house that garners the most “likes” will receive a prize package from Visit Alexandria. It includes a cruise on the Tall Ship Providence, an overnight stay at Embassy Suites, and dinner at Oak Steakhouse.

Voting ends Dec. 20 at 3 p.m.

Visit Alexandria is the city’s nonprofit marketing and tourism bureau. It is located in Old Town.  Federal Conference is a meeting planning service based in Dumfries, VA. Their innovative business model takes care of event arrangements for government and business clients, including selecting a location and handling registration.

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Kevin Dauray

Kevin is Publisher's Assistant with The Zebra Press. He has been working for Alexandria's "Good News" newspaper since 2019. A graduate of George Mason University, he earned a bachelor's in English with a concentration in Creative Writing. He also studied at the Columbia School of Broadcasting and holds a master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Marymount University. He is an alumnus of T.C. Williams High School. Go Titans!

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