Annual Tour of Homes raises money for local scholarship fund

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The annual Newton Dollars for Scholars Tour of Homes has become a holiday staple in Newton. The event helps raise money that is used to award scholarships to students graduating from Newton Senior High School. In May 2008, 140 scholarships were awarded to students planning to attend vocational schools or two- or four-year colleges. In 2008 alone, Newton Dollars for Scholars awarded $75,750 to help local students receive higher education. The 2008 Tour of Homes features five Newton homes. The homes are owned by Margot Voshell and Joe Stover, Scott and Monica Pritchard, Wayne and Jenny Mann, Bill and Kristy Peters and Steve and Sharon Longacre. Three of the homes on this year’s tour were built from 1870 to 1920. The Tour of Homes will be Saturday, Dec. 6, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets are $10 each and can be purchased at all Newton financial institutions, the Greater Newton Area Chamber of Commerce, Dollars for Scholars Trustees and at each home on the day of the tour. The local chapter of Dollars for Scholars was chartered in 1985 and is affiliated with the Citizen’s Scholarship Foundation of America. The homes: Sharon and Steve Longacre 506 E. Fifth St. N. The Longacre’s home was built in 1858 for the new bride of Christian Griebeling. During the home’s 150-year history many changes have occurred. The home was even made into apartments in the 1930s. The Longacres purchased the home in 1987 and lived there with their two children. The couple has restored the wood flooring and Sharon has spent many hours stenciling and painting the home. Monica and Scott Pritchard 1706 S. 11th Ave. E. The Pritchard home was built in 1993 and purchased by the couple in 2006. The couple has four children, Michaela, Tyler, Jordon and Kinnick. In 2007, the family’s home was devastated by fire and every level of the home, except for the basement, had to be rebuilt. The home is a true Newton home with the flooring provided by the Floor Store and the furniture from Store for Homes.

Bill and Kristy Peters 3003 S. 60th Ave. E. The home of Bill and Kristy Peters and their two children Danny and Cole, was built in 2004 on land that has been in the Peters’ family for years. The home is located on two acres and is surrounded by Bill’s mother’s farm. Their colonial style home features an open floor plan with 12-foot ceilings. During the tour of the home, take notice of the antiques and variety of art decor by Bev Doolittle. Also, look for the church pew in the lower level of the couple’s home. The pew came from the church that Bill and Kristy were married in.

Wayne and Jenny Mann 905 S. Sixth Ave. W. The Mann’s home has a historic tie with the Jasper County Courthouse. The home was built on a foundation of Red Rock sandstone from the basement of the second Jasper County Courthouse, which was razed in 1909. The home also has other historic ties to the community. Finished in 1910, the home has belonged to seven Newton families, including the Vernon family who built a fireplace in 1941 using limestone from the Ogg Mansion (as in Harry Ogg owner of the Automatic Washer Co. and the first flying business office — the Smiling Thru). The Manns and their two children, Morgan and Madision, moved to Newton from Arizona in 2005. Since moving to Newton, they have renovated the main level of the home starting with restoring the original hardwood floors and removing several walls to create a traditional atmosphere that replicates what the home would look like nearly 100 years ago. While in the home, be sure to view the Swarovski Crystal chandeliers.

Margot Voshell and Joe Stover 1017 S. Fifth Ave. W. Joe and Margot moved to Newton from Des Moines in 2006 into their 1920s craftsman style home. Since moving into the home, they have restored all of the woodwork and crown molding on the main level. They’ve also remodeled all the bathrooms. Those on the Tour of Homes should pay special attention to the stained glass windows and built-in book shelf along with the fireplace.