CHEYENNE — Stepping through the wooden door of former Wyoming Gov. Jim Geringer’s 9,000-square-foot home will transport you into a dazzling scene of glittering lights, scented tea candles and a towering Christmas tree decked out in red ornaments.
The smell of baked goods and fresh pine wafts through the two-story home, and it’s enough to make the average Grinch warm with holiday magic.
This year, the General Federation of Women’s Clubs Women’s Civic League of Cheyenne is hosting its 56th annual Christmas House in the home of the former governor and former first lady Sherri Geringer.
For an admission price of $6, members of the public are welcome to tour through each of the themed rooms and buy homemade goods donated by members of the Women’s Civic League. The annual fundraising event raises an average of $50,000 to $60,000 in proceeds that are donated to local nonprofits, such as Meals on Wheels and Climb Wyoming, and provide scholarships for local high school students.
Homemade marshmallows and chocolate truffles can be found in the “Candyland Kitchen” downstairs. Grinch-themed Christmas ornaments and children’s toys are located in the Children’s Room and Tree Room, and homemade candles, bath bombs and lotion are available in the upstairs “Spa Room.”
Visitors can even take a peek in the governor’s office.
“Gov. Geringer very generously offered up their home, and so we were on it right away,” said one of the event chairwomen, Melissa Theriault. “Because why wouldn’t you snatch up such a wonderful space?”
A formal ribbon-cutting ceremony kicked off the event Wednesday afternoon, where current Gov. Mark Gordon had the honor of cutting the bright red ribbon with a pair of golden scissors.
“What an honor this is,” Gordon said, before cutting the ribbon roped in front of the Geringer home. “Thank you governor, first lady. It is so nice to be here.”
The pre-Christmas event begins Friday morning at 9 and ends Saturday at 3 p.m. To get there, visitors can either drive or take the Cheyenne Trolley, which will pick families up from the Holy Apostles Orthodox Christian Church and drop them off at the Geringers’ home at 1507 Romsa Road.
A salute to Wyoming military
This year’s theme, “I’ll be Home for Christmas,” was inspired by Theriault, whose 21-year-old son is currently deployed in Qatar. This is his first year missing Christmas with his family, she said.
Theriault showed the Wyoming Tribune Eagle in an early tour of the home the Valor Tree, decked out in red, white and blue ornaments and wrapped in ribbon. Visitors can purchase a star to write the name of a loved one who has served or is serving in the military, Theriault said.
“When your kid joins the military, you know the ultimate sacrifice,” Theriault said. “I’m not gonna see him for Christmas — it’s a lot.”
Proceeds from the Valor Tree will be used to purchase care packages sent out to members of the Wyoming National Guard. After the Christmas House event is over, the Valor Tree will be displayed in Westby’s Edge Brewing in downtown Cheyenne.
“(My son) doesn’t have his family, and he really struggled,” Theriault said. “One of the things he said to me was that it was really helpful for him to have those care packages. It just made him feel better and more like at home.”
A special tribute to Sherri
When Geringer volunteered to host the Christmas House in his home on the outskirts of town, he did so as a special tribute to his wife. While he was in office, the former first lady initiated several programs that promoted access to learning and provided resources for families who struggled financially.
One hugely successful program was Raising Readers, a program designed to promote early childhood development. It kick-started in 2002 under Sherri Geringer’s direction and provides new books to children in the age range of 2 months to 5 years old.
More than 450,000 books have been distributed across all 23 Wyoming counties since the program began. In 2019, more than 27,600 families benefited from it.
“I can’t tell you all the things that she initiated that even continue to this day,” Jim Geringer told the WTE. “She was always too modest to take much credit.”
Sherri suffered a stroke in 2018 that left her physically disabled and made it difficult for her to speak, Jim Geringer said. Her mind, however, is fully intact.
The previous day, Sherri sat in her living room chair next to the fire as members of the Women’s Civic League fluttered about, transforming her home into a Christmas wonderland.
“She was in hog heaven,” Jim Geringer said.
To find out more about the event and purchase tickets, visit womenscivicleaguecheyenne.org/christmas-house.
This article was corrected to say Geringer's home is 9,000 square feet.
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