Press Release
Newcomers Club of New Canaan to Host 21st “Homes for the Holidays” Holiday House Tour to be held December 6th 2007
CONTACTS:
Claudia Harris, Chair: 966-9599
Jani Salant, Director of PR: 594-9430
The Newcomers Club of New Canaan has announced its 21st biennial Homes for the Holidays House Tour, which will be held on December 6th, 2007. This event, last held in 2005, had over 1,200 attendees and made it possible for Newcomers to provide over $50,000 in grants to local charities. This year’s fundraiser will feature an all-day tour of five unique New Canaan homes exquisitely decorated in a variety of holiday themes. The tour will open at 10:00 a.m. and close at 4:00 p.m. In addition, those attending the tour will receive a copy of our exclusive magazine-bound Homes for the Holidays House Tour Resource Guide, which will include a glossary listing of local home renovation contractors and design professionals. Attendees will also have the option to purchase and enjoy an elegant three-course lunch at The Roger Sherman Inn to round out the day, as this event will prove to be a feast for the senses!
Preparations for this event began several months ago with the creation of the House Tour Board, responsible for selecting the homes, securing sponsors and organizing legions of volunteers necessary to mount such a massive creative and fundraising effort. “The goal is to provide attendees with an entertaining, inspiring experience, as well as potential design and contractor resources for their own home decoration/renovation projects.” said Claudia Harris, House Tour Chair. “For nearly 30 years, The Newcomers Club of New Canaan’s Holiday House Tour has been an important venue for raising funds for many community service organizations.”
Over 100 Newcomers volunteers will participate in a series of craft workshops throughout the summer and fall to make various decorations. The crafts will be used to decorate the homes and selected items will be made available for silent auction at the House Tour Gala, which will be held the night of the tour to thank and celebrate all those who made this year’s event possible. “We are offering our sponsors and platinum patrons a special opportunity to buy these one-of-a-kind holiday decorations” says Simone McEntire, House Tour Co-Chair overseeing decoration and design.
Five distinctive homes will be showcased on the tour, each with a unique
architectural style and holiday theme, as described by Claudia Harris:
- “A spectacular 12,000 square foot Georgian Home, updated under the direction of talented local designer, Toni DiPanni, of Classic Interiors, with holiday décor styled and created by New York City based celebrity event planner, Shawn Rabideau of Event Ergonomics, will carry the theme: Christmas on the Estate.”
- “A uniquely fabulous mid-century modern home designed by a prominent American architect, decorated and styled by noted New York City designer and New Canaan resident, Jackie Shapiro, whose design firm, French Bull, features home décor inspiring the theme of: Modern Holiday.”
- “An historic farm house, thoughtfully and creatively renovated and decorated with an airy, Swedish sensibility, by meticulous, preservation-minded New Canaan designer, Michelle Morgan Harrison, will carry the theme: A Fresh Take on Tradition.”
- “A classic 1926 stone manor house, along with its charming stone carriage house, will be the backdrop for: A Connecticut Christmas. The carriage house will provide a dash of whimsy with its: Auntie Claus’s Secret Hideaway vignette”. New England born and bred designer, Scott McNeil, whose residential and commercial design projects stretch from Maine to Connecticut, will showcase this authentically beautiful house through his use of traditional interior decoration and holiday décor.”
- A grand, newer colonial, extensively modified by noted New Canaan architect, Louise Brooks, will feature the extraordinary style of celebrity fashion consultant and Westchester-based designer, Gabriel Rimedio, whose holiday decoration and window design is a regular fixture at Neiman Marcus in White Plains, NY. ‘Chic’-mas: Be Fun, Fabulous and Festive this Holiday Season, will be the theme driving the unexpectedly hip, contemporary glamour of the interiors and holiday ornamentation.”
In addition, an exclusive limited-edition holiday ornament that celebrates this year’s Homes for the Holidays house tour will be made available for purchase as a unique holiday keepsake and gift item. The pewter ornament features our Homes for the Holidays insignia and is inscribed to commemorate this year’s House Tour. “These beautiful, unique ornaments will be a wonderful keepsake for anyone who loves holiday decorating” said Kelly DiDomenico, House Tour Co-Chair responsible for House tour product sales and operations.
The sponsorship support of the tour has traditionally been very strong. Our past list of sponsors is an impressive one, ranging from the financial services industry to commercial and residential construction and design firms. Each has strong ties with the community and is committed to charitable giving.
“We are extremely fortunate to live in a community where our local vendors and businesses understand the importance of supporting service organizations which provide help to people who need it. In turn, as a corporate sponsor of our event, any business will enjoy fantastic visibility in an area where residents seek out the very best in products and services for their homes and lifestyles” says Rachel Diehl-Baker, House Tour Co-Chair in charge of marketing and sponsorship
Tickets for the House Tour will be available beginning November 1st at several to be announced locations. Tickets are $65.00 in advance and $75.00 the day of the tour. Discounted senior tickets are $50.00 and are available only for advance purchase.
All proceeds of the tour will support in excess of a dozen local charities that have submitted grant applications, met the Newcomers Club of New Canaan, Inc. grant criteria and have been approved by the club’s Community Concerns Ways and Means Chairs. The beneficiaries of this year’s Homes for the Holidays House Tour proceeds are a broad mix of organizations (see additional press material for listing and descriptions).
“The Newcomers Club of New Canaan’s biennial Holiday House Tour brings
together the beautiful homes New Canaan is known for, members of our club,
local designers, vendors and other community volunteers in a dazzling display
of holiday decorations, all in an effort to benefit multiple, local charitable
organizations”, notes Claudia Harris,
“In supporting the tour, our generous sponsors help aid the work of venerable
organizations which promote the well-being of children, victims of crisis,
the elderly, as well as help aid organizations which maintain our local
resources, promote education and the arts.”
For more information about the Homes for the Holidays Hours Tour, please visit our website: www.newcanaannewcomers.com
About New Comers Club of New Canaan, Inc.:
The Newcomers Club of New Canaan was founded in 1957 by Marnee Raymond to help new residents become acquainted with their community. It is the oldest club of its kind in the country and one of the largest, featuring a wide variety of activities and events. The Newcomers Club seeks to promote friendship among new residents by arranging special events, programs, activities and a minimum of one yearly fundraiser to provide donations to not-for-profit organizations.
“…there truly is something for everyone in New Canaan’s Newcomers Club, which is what makes Newcomers such an exceptional organization”, says, Ann Whittaker, President of the Newcomers Club of New Canaan.
Eligibility for membership is limited to anyone who has been a resident of New Canaan for one year or less. For more information on becoming a member, please visit our website or contact Elizabeth Keoh, V.P of Membership: 966-8424.