Crime Victims Center sponsors tour of local homes
The 2003 Home for the Holidays tour, which benefits the Crime Victims Center Inc. of Fayette County, will offer patrons a chance to take a look at some beautiful Uniontown area homes while helping a good cause. “This year it’s more important than ever,’ reported Linda O’Keefe, legal advocate supervisor for the center. “All social service agencies are facing monumental budget cuts and we’re included. We have to find money to make up for the deficits. We hope to make this our biggest success story.’
The house tour is the center’s most successful fund-raiser. Last year’s tour raised close to $7,000.
This year’s tour takes place on Sunday, Dec. 14, beginning at 1:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 and are on sale now at the center, located at 109 W. Fayette St., Uniontown. Call 724-438-1470 for the latest ticket information. Tickets can be held for one day. Ticket sales are limited.
This year’s tour features:
– A two and a half story redbrick house, located at 311 Derrick Ave. that was built in 1922-23 and is owned by Bill and Ellen Ulmer.
– A house built on two levels in 2001 at 172 Regency Forest and is owned by Mark and Patti Altman.
– A three-story, redbrick, Georgian-style house located at 272 W. Main St. that was built around the turn of the last century and is owned by Roger and Penny Ice.
– A two-story Colonial located at 19 Wiggins Lane that was constructed in 1969 and is owned by Mike and Sharon Mullen.
– Stemz Floral Shoppe & Cafe, a three-story, pale yellow-brick Victorian-style building that was built in 1932 and is owned by Albert and Cynthia Morgan.
The tour will include a Chinese auction, featuring various gifts and gift certificates. Patrons can also buy tickets for a dinner after the tour at The Torchlight, located on Route 40 west of Uniontown. Reservations must be made ahead of time.
The center appreciates the homeowners who allow use of their homes for this fundraiser.
“We’re extremely grateful to our gracious and most generous homeowners. It takes special people to open their homes for a fund-raiser,’ said O’Keefe. “We also want to thank the businesses who contribute and the guests who buy tickets. We hope everyone enjoys the tour. We’re so grateful to everyone. We hope we can have a wonderful tour again this year.’
But the participants are equally impressed with the work done by the Crime Victims Center.
Mrs. Mullen said, “What the world needs is more caring about other people instead of materialistic causes.’
According to its brochure, “The Crime Victims Center is a private, non-profit agency founded in 1975. Originally known as the Women’s Resource Center, the agency expanded its services to become a comprehensive center to include all victims of violent crimes.
“Today, as an advocacy agency, our primary mission is to provide direct services to male and female victims, co-victims and witnesses in cases of sexual assault, child physical and sexual abuse, physical assault, robbery, homicide, DUI, arson and other violent crimes.
“The CVC offers a 24-hour crisis hotline (724-437-3737) to provide crisis intervention support, information and referrals to other community resources. We also offer medical and legal accompaniment, counseling, victim compensation, victim advocacy, prevention education programs, Parents Anonymous, parent education and MADD program services for victims, survivors and significant others of drunk driving crashes. A Victim Witness Coordinator is also available to assist victims of juvenile crimes.’
All CVC services are free and strictly confidential. The CVC is a participating United Way agency.
Here is a look at the houses included in the 2003 Home for the Holidays tour:
– Bill and Ellen Ulmer and their family have lived in their home, a two-and-a-half-story, redbrick house at 311 Derrick Avenue, for the past five years.
According to descriptions, “The house was built for Amadee Hagan in 1922-23. Hagan was an avid gardener who devoted years to preparing the soil and establishing gardens on the property. The house is built in a Prairie Style with Arts and Crafts Elements.
“The Prairie style typically features low-pitched roofs, though gabled roofs are a common variation. Some of the most common features are wide overhanging eaves, two stories with one-story wings, porches or carport that are clearly subordinate to the principal two sometimes three-story mass, double hung sash windows, and fa?ade detailing emphasizing horizontal lines. Massive, square porch supports and an asymmetrical placement of the front door are also common. The rounded arch of the doorway is Craftsman style feature that adds special interest. The Prairie Style was developed by an unusually creative group of Chicago architects and is one of the few indigenous American styles. As the style spread out from Chicago, it takes on particularly local variations. The Prairie Style period extends from about 1900 to the 1920s.’
The description for the program notes, “Inside the house, one very prominent feature is the extensive use of wood throughout. You will notice quarter-sawn oak in the foyer, cherry in the living room, mahogany in the dining room and maple in the kitchen.
“The house remained in the Hagan family until 1998 when we purchased it from Chris and Mary Hagan. We have spent the last five years making this house our home and, as with all old houses, the projects have been large, small and numerous. We replaced the kitchen and pantry when we moved in, stripped wallpaper, refinished floors, resolved the ever-flowing water problem in the basement, replaced the sewer line and this year, painted the exterior. We’ve come a long way but the ‘to do list’ is still long,’ the Ulmers wrote.
“At Christmastime, we cut a lot of fresh greens from the garden and use them throughout the house. Our decorations are traditional and most have sentimental value. We decorate for our enjoyment and we, with three children, one dog and two cats, live in every room.’
For Christmas, Mrs. Ulmer said the family decorates the front of the house with spotlights and wreaths. Greens from the yard are brought inside and she likes old-fashioned colored lights with bigger bulbs.
The family uses two Christmas trees: an artificial one that’s traditionally in the dining room and a live tree in the living room.
– Mark and Patti Altman built their home at 172 Regency Forest, moving into it in 2001. The house is built on two levels. It has taupe siding with earth-colored stones.
They wrote a description for the tour: “Mark is an architect and it had always been his dream to build his own home. Patti lived with her parents in Connellsville until she married Mark in 1995. Then she lived in an apartment with Mark until 2001. It had always been her dream to have her own home. So the planning, design and building of the Altman home in Regency Forest has been a dream come true for both of them.
“Mark and Patti spent over one year in the planning and design of their home. They wanted their living space on one floor. Making this happen on the sloped lot they purchased required much thought and many blueprint revisions. Then came construction. They broke ground in September 1999. In addition to being the architect, Mark served as the contractor and he sub-contracted all aspects of construction. This took a great deal of time as did construction of the custom details of the house, particularly all the custom woodworking. While Patti was a bit impatient about the completion date, she finally decided that good things really are worth waiting for. Mark and Patti moved into their dream house on April 30, 2001.
“The Altmans hope you’ll share their appreciation of the design features of the home in which they take great delight: the rotunda-like design of the front of the great room with its span of ceiling-to-floor windows; the four-sided stone fireplaces which serves as the focal point of the great room; the openness and spaciousness of the house; the custom oak woodwork; and the bright solarium which serves as a welcome home to many of their house plants.
“While the time the Altmans have spent in their new home has been short, it has been full. They have entertained family and friends on many occasions, and they get just as much enjoyment being alone together in their home that they share with their cat, Frank Lloyd Cat. They particularly enjoy sitting cozily in the front of the fireplace on a cool night, or sharing a leisurely dinner for two on the deck which has an enchanting view of Regency Forest.’
Asked about decorating for Christmas, Mrs. Altman said, “We have a 10-foot tree in our Great Room. We use a variety of decorations and I use poinsettias as accents on the tree.’
She also uses wreaths and small lighted decorations throughout the house, including a ceramic tree, Santa Claus, and a snowball with holly around it. They have a Lenox Nativity on the mantel of the four-sided fireplace with a wreath above it.
– Roger and Penny Ice live in a three-story, redbrick Georgian-style house at 272 W. Main Street that was built around the turn of the 20th century.
The Ices wrote a description of their house: “The home was one of Uniontown’s grandest and included swan oak woodwork, imported French tile and marble, much of which remains today. A few of the beautiful and exquisite Tiffany style windows are still in tact and add a special touch to the house. To our knowledge, the house remains as it was built with no major renovations.
“It’s hard to believe it has been four years since we first purchased this historic house. It was in dire need of many repairs and had stood unoccupied for 20 years. With the unselfish help of many friends and family, we have worked hard to restore this house to what it is today.’
Mrs. Ice said the family decorates with a traditional Victorian Christmas tree in the more formal parlor that contains red bulbs and gold and red ribbons. She decorates the staircase with feathers or birds and lights. The dining room is decorated with fruit garlands. The outside of the house is also decorated with garlands.
“I’m not going to do a tremendous amount of decorating,’ she said. “…I think the natural beauty of the house is something that people will want to see.’
– Mike and Sharon Mullen have lived in their two-story Colonial since 1981.
They wrote a description of their home: “Our home was constructed in 1969 and was one of the very first homes built in the Wiggins Lane Plan. We moved into our home in 1981. Our family has experienced and shared many wonderful holidays here. We are thankful for the memories. Through the years, the thought of moving entered our minds. But we opted to stay and concentrated on some major renovations.
“Our family especially enjoys the beautiful and airy Florida room and deck which afford us the opportunity to relax and enjoy the outdoors.
“The interior of our home offers a very relaxed and welcoming atmosphere as you will see. Although our home is a more modern home, its decor boasts a very tasteful Victorian style which is prevalent in many of the rooms.’
The Mullens decorate each room individually depending on the theme, such as Victorian.
“I love glitter and gold and snowmen, Santa Claus, angels, stars, poinsettias and candles,’ said Mrs. Mullen. “It’s just very festive. We have a 13-foot tree and other assorted trees throughout the house.’
– Albert and Cynthia Morgan have owned the Stemz Floral Shoppe & Cafe at 140 E. Fayette St. since March 2002.
They wrote a description: “Stemz Floral Shoppe and Cafe is a beautiful decorative shoppe where people can order flowers for weddings, funerals or any occasion and eat lunch in the ambiance of its surroundings with beautiful music playing.
“The building was purchased in March 2002 where the new location combined the Floral Shoppe and Cafe as one. Cindy and Al Morgan, the owners, with 30 years of experience in the floral and food business, combined their efforts to form the business now called Stemz A la Carte.’
The Morgans have decorated the front of the building, which was constructed in 1932, with icicle lights. There are garlands and lights on the banisters of the outside deck. The decorations are red, gold and white.
A highlight of the shop is the seven-foot Christmas tree that snows.
“Snow tumbles from the top down and it keeps snowing,’ said Morgan. “It’s something to see.’