FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Anthony Puglisi

December 15, 2012 973-621-2542

Lauren Shears

973-621-1590

ESSEX COUNTY EXECUTIVE DIVINCENZO PRESENTS AWARDS

IN EIGHTH ANNUAL GINGERBREAD HOMES AND HABITATS CONTEST

Holiday Contest Helps Raise Awareness about Nature and the Environment

Roseland, NJ – Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. presented awards to the children and families who participated in the Essex County Environmental Center’s Eighth Annual Gingerbread Homes and Habitats Contest on Saturday, December 15th. There were 51 entries in this year’s contest.

“Our Sustainable Homes and Habitats Gingerbread Contest is a wonderful project that incorporates our mission to raise awareness about nature with a holiday theme. This hands-on, family-oriented contest lets people of all ages learn about the environment in a fun way,” DiVincenzo said. “I am amazed at the creativeness and ingenuity of the entries each winter. Everyone who participated in this contest was a winner,” he noted.

The public was invited to participate in four categories: Individual Child Category for children ages 14 or younger who worked independently on all aspects of their entry; Group/Family Category for children 14 and younger who worked as a group or had adult assistance on any aspect of their entry; Adult Non-Professional Category for individuals or groups of people ages 15 and older who are students of the culinary arts or are not professional chefs; and Adult Professional Category for individuals or groups of people ages 15 and older who are professional chefs or are working in the culinary arts. A list of the award winners is as follows:

2012 Visitor’s Choice Award: Gilbert Antero, Ann Cook, Dawson Erwin and Alex Erwin from Fairfield.

Group/Family Category: First Place: The Mazur/Hill Family from Fairfield. Second Place: $-H Environmental Kids Club members Tracy Voca, Bridget Castano and Gizelle Patierno and their teacher Sue Mazur. Third Place: Avery, Ashlyn, Ella and Patrick McAdams from Montclair.

Individual Child Category: First Place: Aleah Colon-Alfonso from Glen Ridge. Second Place: Galina A. Bello from Lyndhurst. Third Place: Vincent J. Bello, III from Lyndhurst.

Adult Non-Professional Category: First Place: Marion Peterson from Caldwell. Second Place: Essex County West Caldwell Tech Culinary Arts students Destiney Duprey, Melany Llugcha, Marquis Stevens, Pamela Martinez and Steven Suda and their teacher Victoria Atfield. Third Place: Essex County North 13th Street School Culinary Arts students Ciarra Rivera, Diana Quinones, Amethyst Navarro and Inaya Haigs Andrews and their teacher Brett Boon.

Adult Professional Category: First Place: Sunrise Bakery from West Caldwell ShopRite. Second Place: Nanina’s In the Park from Belleville.

Entries were judged on distinctiveness, creative use of a nature theme, use of “green” building design techniques and skill in decoration. The gingerbread homes were on display at the Essex County Environmental Center during the month of December.

Sponsors included McCloone’s Boathouse Restaurant in West Orange, Trader Joe’s Market in Florham Park, Kitchen a la Mode in South Orange, InsaniTea in Montclair, Mayo Performing Arts Center, Morristown, Learning Express in Livingston, Fairchild’s Market in Roseland, Jack’s Foodtown in Caldwell, ShopRite in West Caldwell, Stop and Shop in West Caldwell, REI in East Hanover, Watchung Booksellers in Montclair, The Fine Grind: A Coffee Bar in Little Falls, Walgreens in Roseland and the Williams Family.

Classes and programs with nature themes are offered at the Essex County Environmental Center. Registration is required for all programs at the Essex County Environmental Center. For more information or to register, please call 973-228-8776. The Center is located at 621B Eagle Rock Avenue in Roseland.

The Essex County Park System was created in 1895 and is the first county park system established in the United States. The Park System consists of more than 6,000 acres and has 22 parks, five reservations, an environmental center, a zoo, Treetop Adventure Course, ice skating rink, roller skating rink, three public golf courses, golf driving range, two miniature golf courses, three off-leash dog facilities, a castle and the Presby Memorial Iris Gardens. The Environmental Center is located within Essex County West Essex Park, which is 1,360 acres of wetlands preserves.