LITTLE ROCK — "Trash and toilets." That was the Junior League of Little Rock's nickname for Tisha Gribble's first job on the Holiday House logistics committee. In the past seven years as an active member of the women's community volunteerism organization, however, Gribble has worked her way up from collecting trash and cleaning bathrooms to serving as chairman of the huge Christmas market, twice.
"In my past life, I worked at a church and I worked with children, and a lot of the community volunteer efforts in the league were with children, so I wanted to go outside of my element and volunteer in another way," explained Gribble, who worked as Christian education director at Trinity United Methodist Church for 10 years.
Since 2005, she has been executive director of Arkansas Festival Ballet.
Holiday House is the Junior League's largest fundraiser, supporting the league's community projects, said immediate past president Jennifer Ronnel. Last year, the event raised $209,000. All 355 active and 88 provisional members of the league must work shifts at the event.
Gribble first served as chairman in 2004, when she instituted "ladies' night out," a party the first night ofHoliday House that caters to people who work during the day. This year, her new project is the gingerbread competition, where four pastry chefs will build and decorate the houses during the market as shoppers observe. It is the first gingerbread house contest for all participants: Blue Cake Co., the Peabody Little Rock hotel, the Arkansas Governor's Mansion and All Tiered Up Cakes in Conway. Gribble got the idea thanks to her addiction to the Food Network.
"This is a chance where you really get to go beyond what most customers are willing to pay for, no holds barred," says Jan Lewandowski, who owns Blue Cake Co. with her husband, Steven. "And these are people that I know that I'm competing with, so that's always fun, and plus, you see what other people do. We'll try and do stuff that people haven't seen before."
As two-time Holiday House chairman, Gribble has steeredthe league through two major event changes, says Kimberly Bowman, the chairman-elect for next year's Holiday House.
"It's been a huge privilege for me to come in behind Tisha because of her experience doing this before," Bowman says. "Each of the two years that she's now done it, both of those years have brought a lot of change. Her first year, she had to pull off a Christmas-themed shopping event in October. This year, it's been crazy because of the location change. So for me, I couldn't have come in for a better year."
Reinstating the Christmas market in Little Rock from its recent North Little Rock Alltel Arena setting is a selling point for the Junior League. Bringing it "home for the holidays" is important because "the Little Rock Junior League needed to have its largest fundraiser in Little Rock," plain and simple, Gribble says. The new site at the Statehouse Convention Center in the "heart of the River Market" should bring in potential shoppers.
"What we're hoping is that all those downtown people thatwork will come over on their lunch hour Thursday and Friday and then come back all day Saturday and shop because literally, you could walk in there with your Christmas list and buy every Christmas present you would want for everybody," she says.
The expected 17,000 to 19,000 shoppers can browse items from 130 vendors from around the country, selling baby gifts, jewelry and accessories, men's, women's and children's clothing, pens, golf gifts, Christmas items, toys, home decor, fur coats, food, candy, books and stationery, bath, beauty and body items, art, handbags, linens, outdoor tools, home and garden ornaments, and potpourri and botanicals.
Gribble calls herself a "jackof-all-trades." She runs a purse and gift shop in the Shoppes on Woodlawn in Hillcrest, she formerly operated an antiques booth, she does home shows selling gifts and she works part time as a sales representative for a handbag company called Beijo. Last year, in response to her double leadership role as chairman of admissions for provisional training and chairmanelect for Holiday House, the Junior League's Marketing Council named her Active of the Year.
"Tisha has a heart for improving our community and a knack for fun," said JoBeth McElhanon, last year's marketing chairman and current president-elect. "With her infectious enthusiasm, she is motivating the 2007 Holiday House committee and our entire membership to produce a shopping extravaganza no one should miss."
Like Gribble, other Junior Leaguers set up booths. Penny Rudder sells bath and body itemsat Arbonne International; Emily Young sells jewelry and women's clothes for Faux Pas; Mollie Young provides stationery from Molly's Paperie; Christy Denton has Robinson Lane Jewelry; and Jessica Johnston Meyer has the Reindeer Games Christmas boutique. Returning vendors include Bear Creek Smokehouse, Billie's Pecans and More and Cherry Republic's gourmet cherry products, such as jams, jellies, salsas, wines and nut mixes. New vendors include Cupcakes and Caterpillars children's boutique,Andrew's Candy Co. of Arkadelphia with its peanut brittle and Three Pink Zebras for women's clothing and home accessories.
The Junior League of Little Rock's Holiday House at the Statehouse Convention Center will open with Glimmer, Glitter and Glitz, a preview party from 7 to 10 p.m. Nov. 7. Tickets are $50 in advance or $55 at the door. Private shopping with brunch will be 9 a.m. to noon Nov. 8, for $30 in advance or $35 at the door. Margaritas and Merriment featuring shopping, margaritas and hors d'oeuvres will be 6-9 p.m. Nov. 8, for $25 in advance or $30 at the door.
General shopping will be noon-9 p.m. Nov. 8, 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Nov. 9 and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Nov. 10. Tickets are $6 or $5 for senior citizens or $10 for a three-day pass. More information is available by calling (501) 375-5557 or online at www.jllr.org.
High Profile, Pages 47, 56 on 10/28/2007