Photo courtesy of Megan Montgomery Foundation
Rosa Parrino, winner of the General Category 2023 Gingerbread Jam House Building Contest.
The Megan Montgomery Foundation will be holding its third annual Gingerbread Jam on Dec. 14.
It is currently the only charitable gingerbread house competition of its kind in the Jefferson County-Shelby County area.
Building gingerbread houses was a special family tradition for Susann Montgomery-Clark, founder of the foundation and her daughters Meredith and Megan Montgomery.
“This event is a fun family friendly holiday event for an important cause” says Meredith Montgomery-Price, Megan’s sister and executive director of the foundation, which is headquartered on U.S. 280. “It’s a way to carry on the tradition that our family and friends loved growing up, and now a new generation can participate as they build their own houses to enter." Contestants have traveled from as far away as Tuscaloosa and Montgomery to enter in prior years.
Nancy Cargile, chairman of the event said, “the most fun will be viewing and voting for your favorite houses through the People's Choice Awards”. Children of all ages are invited to visit Santa, who will be on site and while at the Civic Center, go across the hall for the annual free pancake breakfast hosted by the City of Vestavia.
The Gingerbread Jam competition is free to the public for viewing the gingerbread houses on Dec. 14 from 8 a.m. until noon at the Vestavia Hills Civic Center 1090 Montgomery Hwy. Vestavia Hills, Ala. 35216.
To enter the Gingerbread Jam contest, it costs $5 to submit a house of your own. Build and decorate the house at home, then drop it off at the Vestavia Civic Center Friday December 13. Pre-made kits and cookie houses are allowed as well. To enter see details on the website & examples of winners from 2023. Cash prizes will be awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place in children’s various age categories, and adult categories. https://gingerbreadjam.swell.gives
All proceeds from the event will benefit The Megan Montgomery Foundation which has distributed more than $217,000 grants to high schools, colleges and non-profits for age-appropriate healthy relationship education, and to empower young adults to recognize unhealthy behaviors and stop relationship violence before it starts.
