If your child attends Lakewood Elementary, if you dig lovely old homes, or if you’re a regular at gourmet grocery stores on free-sample day, then you’ll want to set aside the weekend of Nov. 8-9.
That Saturday and Sunday, the Lakewood Early Childhood PTA hosts the 27th annual Lakewood Home Tour, with accompanying arts and crafts market, Central Market Café and Wild About Harry’s Kid’s Café at Lakewood Elementary (no, food won’t be free, but it’ll still be a lot cheaper than going to the grocery store and getting overwhelmed into buying four kinds of unpronounceable cheeses).
Five homes will be featured on the tour. The home pictured here is owned by residents Leon and Molly Banowetz and showcases their collection of unusual items. Tour patrons can expect to find something different and interesting at each home, says Barbara Steslow, tour publicity coordinator.
Proceeds from last year’s tour were about $60,000, and organizers are hoping to top that this year, says Lisa Druebert, Steslow’s co-chair. All proceeds benefit programs at Lakewood Elementary, where past monies have helped to fund physical improvements, new programs, computers, materials, and more.
One of the school programs that wouldn’t be possible without funds from the home tour is the Lakewood Outdoor Learning Area, an expanse behind the school where students can wander around on trails and get in tune with nature. The LOLA curriculum takes students into the “field,” teaching them about animals, plants, geology, water and other natural processes.
Druebert, who says her 3-year-old son, Christian, will go to Lakewood Elementary when he’s old enough, is encouraged by the home tour’s success each year. Since 2000, proceeds have exceeded $50,000 each year.
“I’m just constantly amazed by this kind of funding,” she says.
The market and café will offer arts, crafts, antiques and children’s clothing, as well as refreshments provided by Central Market, hot dogs from Wild About Harry’s and desserts provided by Dallas Affaires Cake Co.
