30 Nov 2016 Gingerbread contest fascinates visitors, staff at Conway Regional

A group of employees may have started a new holiday tradition at Conway Regional Medical Center by dreaming up a Gingerbread House Decorating Contest.

Twenty-four gingerbread houses line the corridor near the hospital’s Gift Shop this week, drawing the fascination of visitors and staff alike as they vote on which one they like best. The reusable houses are decorated with candy canes, peppermints, M&Ms, cereal and numerous other food items.

A house designed by the Case Management team uses eatable luster and old fashioned Astro Pop suckers to depict Santa stuck in a chimney while another house has colorful balloons extending from its roof with a message from the 1 East nursing staff that says “We Lift You Up.”

One decorated house creates a Mistletoe Inn as another house moves past the holidays to fitness pursuits depicting the Conway Regional Health & Fitness Center.

Another house is united behind UCA and decorated in purple and white with lettering that says “Go Bears” as another depicts the divided sports interests of the Vilonia Eagles and Greenbrier Panthers.

Two houses are combined by some creative Conway Regional ER employees to depict what happens when Santa has too many cookies.

The scene includes a tiny Air Evac helicopter and MEMS ambulance service as well as the Emergency Department and a Christmas greeting from the staff.

The votes will be tallied until the end of the Conway Regional Tribute Tree Lighting Ceremony on Thursday, Dec. 1. The ceremony begins at 5:30 p.m. with the tree lighting set for around 6 p.m.