23 Dec ESSEX COUNTY EXECUTIVE DIVINCENZO PRESENTS AWARDS IN ANNUAL SUSTAINABLE HOMES AND HABITATS GINGERBREAD CONTEST Holiday Contest Helps Raise Awareness about Nature and the Environment
Published on December 23, 2019
Roseland, NJ – Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. presented awards to the children and families who participated in the Essex County Environmental Center’s Annual Sustainable Homes and Habitats Gingerbread Contest on Saturday, December 21st. There were 35 entries in this year’s contest.
“Our Sustainable Homes and Habitats Gingerbread Contest is a wonderful project that incorporates our mission to raise awareness about nature with a holiday theme. This hands-on, family-oriented contest lets people of all ages learn about the environment in a fun way,” DiVincenzo said. “I am amazed at the creativeness and ingenuity of the entries each winter. Everyone who participated in this contest was a winner,” he noted.
The public was invited to participate in four categories: Individual Child Category for children ages 14 or younger who worked independently on all aspects of their entry; Group/Family Category for children 14 and younger who worked as a group or had adult assistance on any aspect of their entry; Adult Non-Professional Category for individuals or groups of people ages 15 and older who are students of the culinary arts or are not professional chefs; and Adult Professional Category for individuals or groups of people ages 15 and older who are professional chefs or are working in the culinary arts. A list of the award winners is as follows:
Group/Family Category: First Place: JJ and Brody Rella and Brandon and Ryan Sivori from Roseland. Second Place: Joel, Jennie and Lee Goldberg from West Orange. Third Place: The Lynn family from West Orange.
Individual Child Category: First Place: Laura Stairiker from Caldwell. Second Place: Andrew Katz from East Hanover. Third Place: Anna Katz from East Hanover.
Non-Professional Adult Category: First Place: Essex County West Caldwell School of Technology culinary arts students Elias Jouaq, Johnathan Thomas, Andres Garcia and Claudio Panduro and their teacher Victoria Atfield. Second Place: Essex County Donald M. Payne, Sr. School of Technology culinary arts students Anjali Maragh, Nia Campbell and Ashley Zumba and their teacher Amarilys Olivo Mockabee. Third Place: Susan Tran from North Caldwell.
Adult Professional Category: First Place: Sunrise Bakery at the West Caldwell ShopRite.
Entries were judged on distinctiveness, creative use of a nature theme, use of “green” building design techniques and skill in decoration. Members of the Essex County Environmental Commission served as judges for this year’s competition. The gingerbread homes were on display at the Essex County Environmental Center during the first two weeks of December.
Sponsors of this year’s contest were Green Point Juicery and Organic Juice Bar in Verona, McLoone’s Boathouse in West Orange, Kitchen a la Mode in South Orange, Starbucks in Roseland, ShopRite of West Caldwell, Mayo Performing Arts Center in Morristown, The Towne Scoop in Verona, Montclair Art Museum, Learning Express in Verona, Zoological Society of NJ and Essex County Turtle Back Zoo in West Orange, Morristown Game Vault, Jersey Mike’s Subs in Roseland, Jerry’s Artist Outlet in West Orange, Sierra Trading Post in East Hanover, R.E.I. in East Hanover, The Essex County South Mountain Recreation Complex and Codey Arena in West Orange, Earth, Wind & Flowers in East Hanover, Keurig Hardware in Livingston and Fairchilds Market in Roseland.
Classes and programs with nature themes are offered at the Essex County Environmental Center. Registration is required for all programs at the Essex County Environmental Center. For more information or to register, please call 973-228-8776. The Center is located at 621B Eagle Rock Avenue in Roseland.
The Essex County Park System was created in 1895 and is the first county park system established in the United States. The Park System consists of more than 6,000 acres and has 23 parks, five reservations, an environmental center, a zoo, Treetop Adventure Course, ice skating rink, roller skating rink, three public golf courses, golf driving range, two miniature golf courses, five off-leash dog facilities, a castle and the Presby Memorial Iris Gardens. The Environmental Center is located within Essex County West Essex Park, which is 1,360 acres of wetlands preserves.