Greg's House: A
Christmas Cookie
Tale
By Alex
Carrier
For
three years, a
Greene County
resident’s
passion for
baking cookies
and his joy for
life have been
the spirit behind
“Greg’s House,“
an annual holiday
fundraiser for
Habitat for
Humanity.
Dubbed “the
cookie man” by
his co-workers at
Charlottesville’s
Doubletree Hotel,
Greg Holder is
the primary
cookie baker for
the signature
specialty treats
handed out to
each guest of
Doubletree at
check-in.
During December,
proceeds from
cookie sales are
donated to
Habitat for
Humanity.
“I make a lot of
them, “declares
Holder. “We
make five to six
cases of cookies
a day. I make
chocolate chip,
peanut butter and
sugar cookies,
but the oatmeal
raisin cookie is
my favorite. “
Holder’s
current cookie
count stands at
90,000 cookies
baked over the
past three years.
Expectations are
for the cookie
man to surpass
100,000 in early
2009.
“We met Greg when
the William
Monroe High
School Special
Education Program
brought his class
for a
tour,“
explains Angelic
Yates, Director
of Human
Resources for
Doubletree. “He
stood out from
the rest, and I
invited him to do
an internship.
That worked so
well, we hired
him. “
“Greg is very
special,“ adds
Yates. “He
brings joy to
everyone working
here. His
spirit is
everywhere.“
When the
Doubletree staff
created a village
of gingerbread
houses three
years ago as a
way to raise
money for local
Habitat efforts,
Greg’s spirit
seemed a natural
fit and the
project became
known as “Greg’s
House.“
This year a
ten-foot tall
gingerbread
“Greg’s House”
stands outside
the front
entrance to the
hotel’s main
lobby.
Visitors, guests
and staff are
invited into the
lobby to see the
smaller
gingerbread
village and to
purchase the
Doubletree
cookies for $1
each. All
proceeds from
sales of the
cookies during
December go to
Habitat.
“The first year
we raised
$1,000,“ says
Yates.
“Last year it
went to $2,500,
and we have no
idea how much we
will raise this
year. Just
today one person
called in an
order for 200
cookies.“
Greg “the cookie
man” Holder takes
an active part in
selling the
cookies.
This month he
could be found
promoting the
Greg’s House
cookie sales at
the Santa’s
Workshop held in
Ruckersville
Elementary
School.
“He loves what he
does, “says
Greg’s mom Judy
Holder, a teacher
at RES. “He will
tell everybody
that there are
people who would
not have homes
without help.
He just has a
giving spirit.“
The connection
between
Ruckersville
Elementary
School, the
Doubletree Hotel
and Greg’s giving
spirit reaches
beyond the cookie
sales.
During this
year’s grand
opening of Greg’s
House, several
prizes were
raffled off to
people attending
the reception.
Harry Arsenault,
a student at RES,
won two raffle
prizes.
As young Harry
was walking
through the hotel
lobby, he noticed
several soldiers
in uniform.
Harry gave one of
the prizes he had
won to one of the
soldiers.
Harry explained
that the
Veteran’s Day
Tribute recently
held at RES had
taught him the
importance of the
work and
sacrifice of
America’s armed
forces and their
families and he
wanted to thank
them.
“It makes you
think about how
we are all home
with our families
this holiday but
there are so many
troops out there
fighting who
won’t be able to
spend the holiday
with their
families, “said
Yates.
For those who
wish to be a part
of the spirit of
the holiday and
Greg’s House, one
can tour the
gingerbread
village and
purchase cookies
in the main lobby
of the Doubletree
Hotel on Route
29,
Charlottesville,
or please call
434-964-4475 to
order.
Greg’s House
cookies sales
continue through
New Year’s Day
2009.
See more photos
of the 2008
Greg's House and
Gingerbread
Village.
Link.
urself
in Greene H