Annual tour raises money
Like its predecessors, the 2004 Home for the Holidays tour, which benefits the Crime Victims’ Center of Fayette County, promises to offer an entertaining and enchanting afternoon. In fact, the Home for the Holidays tour has become so popular that people begin asking about tickets at the beginning of November.
“It’s during the holiday season with the good feelings that everyone has. It brings the community together,’ said Linda O’Keefe, legal advocate supervisor for the center. “You get to look at the different styles of decorating and learn about historic homes. It’s an entertaining Sunday afternoon. The hosts serve refreshments, and you are their guest for the day.’
This year’s tour takes place Sunday, Dec. 12, from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Tickets cost $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 two days but are limited.
O’Keefe said people come from as far away as Washington, Westmoreland and Allegheny counties, as well as West Virginia, to attend the event, which raised approximately $6,000 for the Crime Victims’ Center last year.
The tour features four Uniontown homes and a German Township bed and breakfast:
n A 2½-story, stone house located at 4 Barton Mill Road, built in 1939 and owned by James and Lisa Dunn.
n A two-story, peach brick house located at 77 Wiggins Lane, built in 1995 and owned by Dr. John and Lisa Sunyecz.
n A two-story, red brick home located at 63 Farmview Drive, built in 1995 and owned by Christopher and Christina Kearns.
n A stone cottage located at 70 Stockton Ave., built in 1937 and owned by Darlene and Bill Duall.
n The Inne at Watson’s Choice Bed & Breakfast and Harvest House located on Balsinger Road, off Route 21 in German Township and opened in 1997 by Bill and Nancy Ross in a 19th century brick farmhouse.
“These are really special people. We are grateful to them for recognizing our agency and to be willing to help us out and welcome guests to their home on a Sunday afternoon in the true spirit of the season,” O’Keefe said.
The Crime Victims Center is a non-profit comprehensive agency that offers services to all victims of sexual assault and violent crimes, as well as a variety of other services. The center offers a 24-hour crisis hotline (724-437-3737) that provides crisis intervention support, and information and referrals to other community resources.
The homeowners said they decided to participate because they respect the services performed by the Crime Victims’ Center.
“I really appreciate the work they are doing, because I know of people who have used the agency and have been helped,’ said Darlene Duall. “It’s a place where people can go for help and direction.’
“I like the work the center is doing, and any time you can help out someone in the community, I think it’s worthwhile,’ said Lisa Sunyecz.
O’Keefe said the center is also grateful to local businesses who have provided items for a Chinese auction, which will be held in the newly renovated conference center at the Inne at Watson’s Choice. Guests can buy tickets for the auction that day. Items include holiday arts and crafts as well as gift certificates.
After the tour, a dinner will be held at Caileigh’s restaurant in Uniontown at an additional cost. Reservations are required.
Here’s a look at the houses included in the 2004 Home for the Holidays tour:
The Dunn residence
The Barton Mill Road home of James and Lisa Dunn, who have lived there since 1991, was built around 1939. The home features hardwood floors, a long, winding staircase in the center entrance hall, and a sunken living room with a stone fireplace and mantel and beamed ceilings. The original front porch was enclosed by a former owner and is now a cozy bar room.
The Dunns enjoy decorating their home for the holidays and entertaining family.
“Ever since Jim and I bought the house, I took over all the family dinners,’ said Mrs. Dunn.
Christmas became even more special with the arrival of their nephew five years ago.
“We do it all for him,’ Mrs. Dunn said.
The Dunns decorate their home for the holidays with lights and poinsettias. Last year, they began placing lights outside on the shrubbery and a candle in each window.
The Sunyecz home
Dr. John and Lisa Sunyecz have lived in their home on Wiggins Lane since 1996. Heaton Construction built the two-story, peach brick house in 1995.
The home sits on a wooded lot and while situated in a neighborhood, it has the feel of a country home. According to a description the Sunyeczes provided for the tour brochure, “The inside of the house has an open floor place. The formal living room, dining room, family room and kitchen are on the main floor. The barrel-shaped ceiling in the family room lends to the open feel and ends at a large picture window. The modern kitchen and breakfast nook are also surrounded by decorative windows and a French door that leads to the outdoor deck and patio.’
The basement is the family’s recreation room, decorated in an art-deco style with leopard print carpet on the floor and vintage posters on the walls. The main room is connected to the children’s playroom, which has a train track suspended from the ceiling.
For her holiday decorating, Mrs. Sunyecz said, “I do a lot of traditional things, homemade things and some country things. I like to use a lot of fresh greens and ribbon. I try to make my own bows.’
The Christmas tree is located in the family room, which was expanded last year.
“It has ornaments the kids made when they were little, I had when I was young and my husband had when he was young. We take all that and put it on the tree. That’s our tradition,’ said Mrs. Sunyecz.
Family makes Christmas special, said Mrs. Sunyecz, noting that her parents and her husband’s parents come in from Ohio.
“They stay for an extended holiday, and we have a good time,’ she said. “Family is the best thing about Christmas.’
The Duall residence
The stone cottage of Darlene and Bill Duall was built in 1937 for attorney John Brown and his wife. Designed by architect Harry W. Altman, the home was constructed by Uniontown Builders.
According to a description, “The Stockton Avenue area was the site of a Japanese garden in the early 1900s and was created by Francis Marion Semans, a coal tycoon, who loved gardening and beautiful objects. The garden and estate, called Mont View Park, covered 12 acres. The Japanese gardens departed the scene in the early 1930s when real estate development took them over.’
In 1995, the Dualls purchased their home, which has all the original rooms and most fixtures.
The Dualls decorate their home for the holidays with a Victorian look.
“I’m using a lot of ribbon,’ said Mrs. Duall. “My whole house is mauve and gold. I use a lot of candles. We have candles all the time. There probably isn’t an inch free when I get finished decorating my Christmas tree in my living room.’
Family also makes Christmas special for the Dualls. Traditions include lining the grandchildren up on a couch for photographs and giving each other joke gifts.
A home with a view
The Farmview home of Christopher and Christina Kearns offers a “fantastic view of the Laurel Mountains, spacious yard and wonderful neighborhood filled with children.’
The two-story house is made of red brick with green shutters and features a green awning over the structure’s front door.
It is a traditional Colonial structure, built about nine years ago.
The Kearnses have lived in the house five years, moving there from Chicago, where they resided for 10 years. Mr. Kearns lived in Chicago for 35 years, while Mrs. Kearns is a native of Ohio. They met in college.
“I enjoy Uniontown,’ said Mrs. Kearns. “It’s a friendly place and a nice place to raise children.’
For holiday decorating, Mrs. Kearns said, “We like traditional, leaning towards Victorian. We use a lot of greenery and candles.’
The tree is located in the living room. It features lots of family decorations, including Disney ornaments that have been purchased for the children and handmade ornaments the children have made at school.
Spending time with family also makes the Kearnses’ holiday memorable.
“It just seems like a special time of year. Everybody’s mood is lifted,’ said Mrs. Kearns.
Decorating the Inne
The Inne at Watson’s Choice in German Township is located on a 45-acre farm that was once part of a 325-acre land warrant awarded to John Watson that was patented in 1769. He named the site Watson’s Choice.
Bill and Nancy Ross opened the Inne in August 1997 in the original 19th century brick farmhouse, which includes a great room with massive oak beams where guests enjoy breakfast and a common room with an intriguing mural of the farm on the wall above the fireplace.
Three years ago, the couple opened Harvest House, which is an additional bed-and-breakfast site that they built from scratch. Harvest House contains a suite and four bedrooms, as well as a gathering room.
Between the two bed-and-breakfast buildings, the Rosses have built gardens, a courtyard with raised flowerbeds, a gold fishpond, a screen house and a pergola, which is an old-fashioned grape arbor.
The Inne at Watson’s Choice attracts visitors from far and wide, many of whom come to see the Frank Lloyd Wright houses Fallingwater and Kentuck Knob. Recently, the Inne had a family from New Zealand visit who found the Inne on its Web site at www.watsonchoice.com.
Last December, the Rosses opened a conference center in the farm’s original 19th century stable.
The conference center contains a common area for guests, restroom and a main room that can handle conferences, parties, seminars and workshops.
On a recent visit, the conference room was decorated for Christmas parties with red, green and gold table cloths, red and green napkins, poinsettias and a Christmas tree decorated with cranberry beads, peppermint sticks, gingerbread men, and old-fashioned cookie cutters that are used as ornaments.
The Christmas decorations will be similar in all three buildings: Christmas trees with country ornaments and raffia, smaller Christmas trees in the bedrooms and Santas to give it the holiday flavor.
“Growing up, we came from a European background, and at Christmas you would go to your grandparents’ house for Christmas Eve dinner and special foods,” Mrs. Ross said. “The next day, you would go to your grandparents’ again for special gifts. We haven’t done it for a long time. Our parents and grandparents are deceased and when you have a business, it’s hard. But our European background lends itself to whatever we do at the inne. You try to make it a pleasant, homey situation. You try to recreate a homey ambience.’