Last month on July 25, the Jacksonville History Center officially passed a gingerbread torch to the Historic Springfield Society, which will present the 24th Annual Gingerbread Extravaganza as its new fundraiser this December. The handover represents the second time the annual holiday event was passed along to another nonprofit organization.
The event was conceived in 2003 by the Rotary Club of South Jacksonville when Rotarian Joe Miller was struck with a crazy fundraising idea after recalling a visit to a gingerbread display created by professional pastry chefs. “I distinctly remember telling him he was nuts,” said William Harrell, fellow Rotarian. “Who could build enough houses, where would they be displayed…we only had a few months. Then my wife, Barbara, said, ‘If Rotary doesn’t do it, there are some women’s organizations that would love to!’ She knew Joe had a brilliant idea.”
The Rotarians were meeting at the Radisson Hotel in 2003, and hotel management agreed to let them use the lobby for the gingerbread display. Little did they know that 50 gingerbread houses would fill the entire lobby! Sponsors included Coastal Construction Products, Firehouse Subs, W.W. Gay Mechanical Contracting, America Online, and the Jacksonville Chapter of the American Institute of Architects.
The real fun began in mid-November 2003 when a carpenter and members of JFRD constructed a fence for the 3,000 square foot exhibit area. Decorating Christmas trees began a week later and then gingerbread houses were delivered. On the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, the displays were judged prior to a preview party and press conference.
On Opening Day, Saturday, November 29, the Navy Color Guard kicked off the order of event, at which the JFRD Fire Chief certified the village was safe. The Marching Band from Bishop Kenny High School led the way for a Gingerbread Man arriving on a fire truck. Also at this inaugural event, a gingerbread man cookie was a world record 11 foot by 3 foot assembled by Firehouse Subs.
The event raised $30,000 for Ronald McDonald House and was so successful, it would occur at the Radisson Hotel for two more years, then at the Avenues Mall in 2006. The next year, the Gingerbread Extravaganza moved to Old St. Andrew’s Church, hosted by the Jacksonville Historical Society.
In 2005, the Rotary Club of South Jacksonville approached Delores Barr Weaver, then owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars, to participate with a $25,000 one-to-one matching funds challenge grant. William Harrell recounts that Mrs. Weaver originally wanted the funding to be a two-for-one matching grant. “After I begged her to make the commitment firm – not dependent – she agreed to do so because, she said, she did not want to see a grown man beg and cry! We have enjoyed many laughs about that ever since.”
The net proceeds during the first five years totaled nearly $360,000, with the majority of the funds being awarded to The Ronald McDonald House and HabiJax. From 2003 to 2010, the Gingerbread Extravaganza raised about $1 million to support 30 charities.
The Rotary Club of South Jacksonville earned recognition with the Rotary International Public Relations Award in 2005. Rotarian Odette Struys managed the publicity for the club and was one of only 163 Rotarians among 2.2 million who received the award worldwide.
In 2011, the management of the annual Gingerbread Extravaganza was turned over to the Jacksonville Historical Society, which would become the recipient of the proceeds. The nonprofit hosted the event through 2025, with 14 of the 15 years at Old St. Andrew’s Church. The final year under the JHS was held in the newly renovated Florida Casket Company building, to be called the Jacksonville History Center.
Kate A. Hallock | Chief of Staff, Jacksonville History Center