Enjoy “A Victorian Christmas” décor and “Cookies with Santa”
The North Florida Community College Foundation, Inc. and the Friends of the Mansion cordially invite the community to attend its final Christmas at the Mansion holiday open house now through Dec. 11 at the Wardlaw-Smith-Goza Conference Center in Madison, Fla. The holiday open house, which began Wednesday, continues Friday, Dec. 9 from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 10 from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; and Sunday, Dec. 11 from 1-5 p.m. This year’s theme is “A Victorian Christmas at the Mansion.”
Visitors will see the historic Mansion transformed into a spectacular holiday extravaganza featuring Victorian style Christmas décor. NFCC also invites parents to bring their children to “Cookies with Santa” on Saturday, Dec. 10 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at the WSG Conference Center. “Cookies with Santa” is sponsored by the Junior Auxiliary of Madison County. The public is invited to stop by anytime during the open house hours. For group tours, call in advance, (850) 973-9432.
“We have so many people who volunteer their time and talents to decorating the Mansion,” said Greene. “The Victorian Christmas décor is beautiful this year and I encourage everyone to stop by for a visit.”
Jackie Johnson coordinated the decorations with the following businesses, organizations and community members lending their support to transform the Mansion into “A Victorian Christmas:”
- Downstairs hall—Junior Auxiliary of Madison County
- Dining room—Madison Woman’s Club
- Music Room—Madison Garden Club
- Library—Wendy Bartlam
- Parlor—Randy and Lydia Coody and family
- Upstairs hall—Madison Community Bank and The Country Store
- Breckinridge Room—The Madison Florist
- Rose Room—Wells Fargo Bank
- Childrens room—Madison Market and Antiques
- Guest Room—Thelma Dehart and Rosalyn Jenkins
- Outside decorations—Bali’s Florist
“This will be the last college sponsored Christmas at the Mansion open house,” said Wardlaw-Smith-Goza Conference Center coordinator Maria Greene. “We appreciate all the support from our Friends of the Mansion members and from the community. We want this to be the best Christmas at the Mansion to date, so please join us as we celebrate the holiday season and the beautiful Wardlaw-Smith-Goza Conference Center.”
Although this is the last NFCC sponsored Christmas at the Mansion event, the Wardlaw-Smith-Goza Conference Center will remain open following the holiday open house – “It will be business as usual with wedding rentals, tours and other events,” said Greene. “We will continue to run the Mansion and open it to the public for tours and events for as long as our current budget allows.” Since June 2011 The Wardlaw-Smith-Goza Conference Center has been operating as a self-supporting enterprise that no longer receives financial support from NFCC’s general operating budget.
For more information, contact Maria Greene at (850) 973-9432 or email greenem@nfcc.edu.
