While hundreds of people wandered through their Lake Highlands home Friday, Ashley and Keith Clark admired the other three houses on the Holiday in the Highlands Home Tour. “I loved the beautiful landscape paintings in the Berta’s home on Shoreview,” said Ashley, an artist who painted several pieces for her home on Colfax, “and I enjoyed seeing their family antiques.” Husband Keith agreed. “The tree with multigenerational silver baby cups was great.” Ashley said she was amazed at how appreciative folks were. “Everyone keeps saying thank you. We feel it’s our privilege.”

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Now that Karen Clardy has new LHHS Principal Peggy Dillon acclimated to all things LHHS, she knew the LH Women’s League fundraiser had to be next on their to-do list. “For years I’ve heard about this home tour and the money it raises for students,” said Dillon, but to actually see all the work that goes into it – it’s amazing.”

“The Women’s League has helped countless students throughout the years,” said Clardy, “we couldn’t miss it.”

LHHS Student Council sponsor Kathryn Laster tagged along. “I love writing recommendation letters for the LH kids applying for these scholarships,” she said while touring. “The Women’s League makes a big impact in LH.”

With four different homes and four different styles, tour-goers said they found something to love in each house they visited. “I’m a scavenger,” said Sharol Backues, “so I loved the home that used two doors to make a bed headboard.”

LHHS Principal Peggy Dillon experiences her first-ever Lake Highlands Women's League Home Tour with Karen Clardy and Kathryn Laster

“And they used a screen door as a bulletin board,” added her daughter, Michelle Matthews, referring to the Berta home.

Many in the crowd have made the tour a holiday ritual for years, but Christina Dewbre admitted to being a first-timer. “The best part is the history,” she said. “They tell you about the things that are special to the families who live there.”

“This is a mother-daughter tradition for us – it’s our fourth year coming together,” said White Rock Elementary 3rd grade teacher Kristina Perez who attended with mom, Omeda. “I’m impressed by the many different things the Women’s League does in the community, in fact I was a scholarship recipient in 2003.”

Longtime LH resident Valerie Green brought both daughters and her granddaughter to enjoy the day. “My favorite was the World War I poster” [in the Snively’s Lanshire home], said Bridget, who graduated from LHHS in 2006 and studied history before graduating from UT. “I liked the way they put an open frame around objects,” added oldest daughter Dana Stoke, who plans to use the technique in her Grapevine home.

Martha Moroch, who graduated from LHHS in 1976 and formerly served as principal of White Rock Elementary, returned to LH with her mom, Virginia Thompson. “I’ve known Sid Snively since we went to Forest Meadow together,” she said while touring Sid’s Lanshire home. “I could really tell some stories – she was funny back then, too.”

Once they’d seen the last house, Robert and Vicky Brandt were sold. “We’d like to move to Lake Highlands,” said the Carrollton couple. “This is really nice, and it’d be closer to work downtown.”

• From our December 2010 issue: Click here to ready our story “Holiday home in the Highlands” and watch the video above.