Home sweet home

Hardyston — A mixed group of 20 Sussex Technical School and Sussex County Community College students finally got together Friday afternoon to build holiday housing units. The annual construction gathering went smoothly after being cancelled Wednesday when the technical school lost electric power. “I was glad the power was back on as the Culinary Arts Department had a full day of holiday baking scheduled for Thursday,” said Chad Gasiorek, who teaches baking and pastry arts. The plain gingerbread houses were quickly hidden under a rainbow of candies, crackers and cookies. “We have over $200 in candy for the gingerbread houses,” said Lisa Krauss-Utter, professor in the hotel and restaurant management department at Sussex County Community College. A guest builder was Mary Ellen Donner, economics professor at Sussex County Community College. When asked if it made economic sense to build and live in a gingerbread cottage she replied, “If you get hungry you can eat the building.” Prospective occupants of the newly finished units must have a sweet tooth and be less than three inches tall. The five calorie-laden cottages built by the crew were to be taken to the Special Children’s School in Sparta. — By John Church