The 22nd annual Bossier City Quota Club Tour of Homes is set for 1 to 5 p.m. Dec. 8.
Ticket-holders are invited to stop by the homes of participating homeowners: Craig and Cyndi Jones, 5743 Lakeside Drive (Carriage Oaks); Ed and Nell Carpenter, 105 Magnolia Crossing (Oak Alley); Scott and Jane Smith, 114 Vieux Carre (Oak Alley); Ted and Nicole Bryson, 18 Stonehaven Drive (Stonebridge); and Lee and Mimi Harvill, 195 North Beach Drive (River Bluff).
This year’s event will mark the rst time the Brysons have shown their home, Nicole said, though she’s familiar with the tour since her mother did it last year, and many other friends and family have participated as well.
“I like to help out in the community, and using my skills as a designer to further the goals of the Quota Club is a privilege,” she said. “I was honored to be asked to feature my home for this year’s Tour of Homes.”
As supervisor of the lighting and home interior department of Barrett Lighting and Home Interiors, Nicole has made her home into a showcase of what the store has to offer.
“The whole house on the inside is from the store,” she said, and that includes appliances, furniture, all of the décor, mantels and the Christmas items.
Of special interest are the different themes throughout the house, she said. For instance, the formal dining room and entry have a peacock/turquoise theme, while the kitchen and hearth room are more whimsical with candy land and gingerbread themes.
Other items to note are the Christmas trees in each room. The playroom features an orange Christmas tree with kid-themed decorations. Each bedroom has a tree, as well. Four-year-old Barrett has a red tree, while his baby sister, 19-month-old Berkley, has a white and silver tree. The master suite features a blue and champagne tree.
Tickets for the Tour of Homes are $20, and they are attached to a program, which includes a map, pictures and descriptions of each home. Tickets can be purchased in advance or at the door of any one of the participating homes on the day of the tour.
Also available during the tour and at each home are raf e tickets for a basket full of treats. Quota Club members have stuffed two baskets full of treats for each home. Each hostess gets a basket to raf e, and each homeowner will receive one basket. Raf e tickets are $1 or six for $5. Participants must be present to win.
“Our goal every year is to raise $10- $12,000,” said Marlene Harner, an organizer of the event. The funds raised go toward the club’s scholarships and community service work. “Nothing goes toward administration,” Harner added. “Every nickel of support goes back into the community.”
The Tour of Homes enables the Quota Club to continue its local and international service work. Speci cally, the club provides scholarships for graduate students majoring in speech and hearing pathology, birthday books for Bossier Elementary and Plantation Park, funds for the Bossier Parish Food Bank and a sign language interpreter for Camp Joy.
Harner said the club has approved six $1,000 scholarships for students in the master’s program at LSU Health. Those scholarships are set to be awarded Dec. 9. In addition, the club performs service work for the homeless and for the Bossier Council on Aging.
“I always like to stress a big thank you to the supporters of our annual tour,” said Harner, who has worked alongside her cochair, Jane Law, to make the event happen.
“Without their support and without our sponsors, we would not be able to do our service work at all. They are the ones who enable us to do what we’re able to do.” As many as 175-200 sponsors buy ads in the Tour of Homes program in addition to donating funds.
For more information contact, Harner at 470-4116, Donna Cherry at 742-2971 or Jeanette Edmiston at 746-2710.
– Tammy Sharp
