The winning gingerbread houses, a part of the Psi Iota Xi Holiday Gallery, are on display at the former Packard's building at 16 South Main Street in downtown Mount Vernon. The Pink Cupcake was the sponsor of the baking contest for the second year.

Pam Neighbarger's "Ginger Block" is the winner of the gingerbread house contest. Her creation includes a ginger bakery, a ginger sweet shop, and ginger express train. The intricate details inside the bakery portion show lifelike cookies, doughnuts, and muffins. Neighbarger's list of 41 edibles used in her house includes waffle cones, gum, spice drops, and ribbon candy. She credits her husband with the "design and engineering" and says "No joke! I worked 70-80 hours." Neighbarger was presented with a Kitchen Aid mixer, complete with all attachments, by the Pink Cupcake.

Second-place winner in the contest is Lori Wilkes, whose gingerbread house is an elaborate Tyrolean cottage. A "cookie factory" won third place for April Angell. Other bakers were Country Club Retirement Center residents, and Sara Hirsch, Lizzie Thorne, and Rachel Oppenheimer.

In addition to the gingerbread houses, the Gallery is the showcase for trees, bears, wreaths, stockings, and ornaments, all donated by their designers. The public is invited to place silent auction bids on the items with all proceeds going to support Food For The Hungry. The first opportunity to see the holiday items will be this Friday, Nov. 23, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Gallery will also be open on the day of the Christmas parade, Sat., Nov. 24, from 10-4, and again on Sunday during the Christmas Walk 1-5 p.m. The following week, Nov. 26-30, the Mount Vernon High School Learn and Serve students will host the gallery from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.

Psi Iota Xi Sorority is in its eighth year of participation in the Food for the Hungry drive, and the auction, through the years, has raised more than $200,000 for the Salvation Army and Interchurch Social Services to combat hunger in Knox County.