Published: December 04, 2008 11:46 pm      

Christmas Tour of Homes: Seeing the best with Altrusa

It’s that time of year again, time for the Greenville Altrusa Club’s Annual Christmas Tour of Homes, and with the tour comes a nice blend of classic and contemporary.

The tour will be Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m., with proceeds to benefit Early Childhood Intervention.

“All the money we raise goes to the community,” said Luanne Dickens of Greenville Floral and Gifts, who has been helping to deck the homes out for the tour, with the exception of the Raymond/Fitzgerald home.

Tickets for the event are $10, and can be purchased in advance at Greenville Floral, the Herald-Banner, or from any Altrusan. Tickets can also be purchased the day of the tour.

Tickets cover entrance to all six homes on the tour, refreshments at the Oak Creek Country Club, and entrance into the reception, where there will be a silent auction and drawings for all kinds of goodies.

For an additional $10, purchasers can have lunch at the Oak Creek Country Club, which includes either ham or turkey and dressing, two sides, one dessert, and iced tea.

This year there are six homes on the tour, including the homes of Dr. Peter and Angie Gray, Buel and Tommie Kerr, Steve Raymond and Brenda Fitzgerald, Sammy and Elnora Green, Jeff and Jennifer Faunce, and Barry and Eva Green.

Some of the owners of the homes to appear on the tour started decorating as early as September.

All homes on the tour are lavishly decorated, most with the aid of Dickens who has been working tirelessly to make sure the Tour of Homes goes off without a hitch, and that spectators are in awe of the opulent decorations that grace each home.

The Altrusa Club is hoping for a good turnout this year.

“We’re hoping it’ll be real good, but with the economy we don’t know,” Dickens said. “We usually have about 300 to 400 who take the tour, and we’re just hoping for the best.”