Food Show, Benefit Auction of Chocolate Creations Set for Dec. 9

Achocolate village created by students in Pennsylvania College of Technology's School of Hospitality will raise funds for various projects during an auction slated as part of the school's annual Food Show.

The Food Show, scheduled for Dec. 9 in the Thompson Professional Development Center, features the final-semester works of students in several advanced classes, which will be displayed for the public and visiting high school students. The high school students will also attend presentations by Frederick W. Becker, dean of hospitality, that detail culinary careers and the School of Hospitality's academic offerings.

Penn College student works will be judged by professional chefs from the region before the display opens at 10 a.m. On display will be intricate classical desserts, hors d'oeuvre, wedding cakes and classical entrees.

From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., bids for the buildings making up the chocolate village will be taken during a silent auction. The pieces are created by students in the Principles of Chocolate Works course.

The village includes a hospital that will not be on display during the food show. The chocolate building replicates Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, as it looked in its early years. It will be displayed Dec. 1 as part of the Auxiliary at Geisinger Medical Center's "Nutcracker Sweets" fund-raising event in the Danville Municipal Building. The event raises funds for Camp Victory, a program of camps for chronically ill or physically disadvantaged children. The chocolate hospital was created by Angela L. Hess, Lewisburg.

Another important component to a community chocolate villages included is a library. Funds raised in a silent auction for a chocolate library built by Cheryl A. Askey, Mill Hall, will benefit the Roger and Peggy Madigan Library, currently being erected on the college's main campus. The library is expected to open in late summer 2006.

In addition to the library, village components to be displayed and auctioned at the Food Show are an Italian restaurant with outdoor cafe built by Ashley K. Brown, Montoursville; a toy store, built by Ashley L. Carls, Bradford; a police station, built by Hyda S. Clough, Williamstown; the "Fill Er Up" gas station, built by Jennifer M. Deemer, State College; a Victorian house, built by Hayley C. Granacher,Phoenixville; "Stephanie's General Store," built by Stephanie R. Hamilton, South Williamsport; "The Corner Bakery," built by Annie M. Kinney, Milton; a contemporary house, built by Philip J. Neiderer, New Oxford; a post office, built by Terra L. Phillips, Paxtonville; a church, built by Rebecca L. Spencer,Rossiter; and another Victorian house, built by Katlyn D. Stupar,State College.

Bidding will close, and the successful buyer of each building will be announced at 1 p.m. Following the silent auction, a live auction will be conducted by auctioneer Scott Younkin, of Linden, for holiday cakes, cookies, candy and chocolate sculptures.

Funds raised from both the live auction and the silent auction for the village buildings (except for the chocolate library) will be donated to Williamsport/Lycoming Habitat for Humanity.

For more information about the academic programs offered by the School of Hospitality at Penn College, call (570) 327-4505, send e-mail or visit the school's Web site.