Sixteenth annual Parade of Homes is set for Dec. 5

Five distinctive Seward homes will open their doors to the public for the 16th annual Scholarship Parade of Homes on Sunday, Dec. 5. Sponsored by Concordia, the event raises funds for high school seniors in Seward County attending either Concordia University or Southeast Community College. Visitors may tour the residences in any order from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m.

This year visitors will be welcomed to the homes of Bob and Maxine Fiala, Joel and Dawn Navis, Harold and Beth Pester, Ron and Elaine Royuk, and Roger and Hobbin Wolfe.

Originally built for C.H. Riggert in 1911, the Fiala home will celebrate its 100^th birthday this year. The home features the original cut-glass and leaded glass windows and beautiful oak wood floors. A wooden nativity set displayed in the entry way was a favorite Christmas decoration of the Fiala’s sons. The Christmas tree in the living room is decorated with many ornaments from Maxine's former kindergarten students. In the den are international dolls and toys from the many trips the Fialas have taken around the world, especially to China.
 

Located in a country-like setting and with large windows overlooking a pond, the Navis home was completed in 2009. A large, open design and a wraparound porch are perfect for entertaining. An avid New York Yankees fan, Joel’s Yankee memorabilia, including a Yankee tree, is on display. A tree with ornaments from family vacations and grade school and a variety of nativity sets are also part of the Christmas décor.

Harold and Beth Pester purchased their 1938 farmhouse bungalow in 2003.The dining room table and chairs are heirlooms from Harold’s family, and the washstand is an antique from Beth’s family. Built-in cabinets and original wood floors highlight the living and dining rooms. The primary Christmas tree is decorated with hand-blown glass ornaments purchased in Egypt. Each of the rooms has a tree with decorations chosen to match the room and a nativity set.

The Royuk’s 1985 modern townhome is compact yet functional. The family collects Hummel pieces, and the largest of the many Christmas trees in the home is decorated with Hummel ornaments, many of them purchased in Rothenburg, Germany. Another tree is decorated in Mardi Gras colors and displays pieces collected when the Royuks lived in New Orleans.A large number of nativities also will be on display.

Originally a carriage house, the Wolfe home was moved from Columbia Avenue to 1^st Street in the early 1920s. Totally remodeled by Roger and Hobbin Wolfe three years ago, the home includes the original pine and oak floors, exposed beams and an open staircase with antique French metal inserts for the railing. Each room’s Christmas theme showcases historical and contemporary items from different countries, including Czechoslovakia, Russia, Mexico and the United States. A collection of Santa Clauses, along with many antique items from Seward County, are displayed in Hobbin’s working studio.

 Advance tickets for the Scholarship Parade of Homes are $8 and can be reserved online at www.cune.edu/CaCpayment. Online tickets purchased by Nov. 23 will be mailed.  Tickets purchased online after Nov. 23 may be picked up at Dec. 5, on campus at the Weller Hall welcome desk between noon and 2:30 p.m. Advance tickets also may be purchased in Weller Hall 206, at Cattle National Bank and Trust, Jones National Bank and Trust, and Union Bank and Trust in Seward, and at Sister Act in Milford. Tickets can be purchased on the day of the event for $10 at the main entrance of Seward High School and in the lobby of Weller Hall between noon and 2:30 p.m.