Casa Home for the Holidays Topeka 2019

June 25, 2022 Post a Comment

Grace and Mike Morrison show their living room at 2859 S.W. MacVicar Ave., which has been decorated for the holidays by David Porterfield of Porterfield's Flowers & Gifts for the 2019 CASA Homes for the Holidays tour. The living room tree displays more than 2,400 white lights. [Evert Nelson/The Capital-Journal]

Music fills the Knollwood home of Grace and Mike Morrison throughout the year, but never more so than at Christmastime.

"We usually kick off Christmas on Thanksgiving Day or the next day by decorating, and we always get out Barbara Streisand's Christmas album while we decorate," said Grace, who has enjoyed a lifelong love of music. "It's really kind of my thing, and I've got it down so I can transform the house in a day and a half."

The Morrisons have volunteered their home at 2859 S.W. MacVicar Ave. as one of four area residences that will be on this year's annual CASA Homes for the Holidays tour. Designer David Porterfield of Porterfield's Flowers & Gifts has incorporated the couple's love of the arts in his Christmas stylings.

A fireplace mantel is elegantly draped in greenery with burgundy accents. Among the greenery, Porterfield displayed decorative violins belonging to the Morrisons, a tribute to Grace's late mother, Lola Dexter.

Dexter was an original member of the Topeka Symphony and began the Suzuki method of teaching children to play the violin. After her death a number of years ago, her colleagues in a local music organization entered a tree in the Festival of Trees in Dexter's honor.

"One of the partners at work bought it, and I've used the violins each year since," Grace said.

Grace's baby grand piano greets visitors in the entryway of the house, where she enjoys entertaining guests with Christmas carols during the holidays. The piano top displays a porcelain Christmas village, a tradition that began 20 years ago when Mike bought Grace the first pieces of the set.

"It just started out as a couple of things that we had, and then every year until we ran out of room, we bought another piece," said Mike.

The couple's own Nativity set will also be out for the public to see during the tour, along with a Christmas tree that boasts 2,400 white lights, adorned in a red poinsettia motif with gold accents and ornamental birds. Pinecones and greenery feature prominently in swags and chandeliers throughout the residence.

Outside, the Morrisons typically decorate their front porch in a classic style for the holidays, and Porterfield's will add its own touches in the weeks leading up to the tour as well.

"We do garland over the door with lights and ribbons, and we wrap a garland around the post," Grace said. "We hang a big wreath out to the side and put lights around the eaves."

It was Grace's idea to be part of the Homes for the Holidays tour, which is in its 32nd year and is CASA of Shawnee County's signature fundraiser.

"I thought it would be really fun to have somebody else decorate the house and see how it would look different," she said. "We've been really blessed with a beautiful home, and we can share it and support a really incredible organization."

The Morrisons have lived in the house, which they describe as contemporary in style, for the past 25 years and have made changes along the way to suit their tastes.

"We have done so much to it, you can't even tell it's contemporary," Grace said.

One of the most recent additions is a screened-in deck, which overlooks the couple's pool and serene, wooded views of Shunga Park beyond. The deck will be festively decorated and open during the tour.

Grace and Mike have a special place in their hearts for children. Both are retired from successful careers as OB-GYN physicians in Topeka, and Mike currently serves as president of the Topeka Unified School District 501 Board of Education.

"One of the reasons that we're doing this is because we know so many people in town," Grace said. "We've delivered 10,000 babies between us, and if it encourages people to come and buy tickets, then it helps CASA."

CASA of Shawnee County, which stands for Court Appointed Special Advocates, recruits, trains, and supervises volunteers who work closely with local children who are caught up in the court and foster care systems because of abuse and neglect. The volunteers are appointed by the court to assist the judge in determining what is in the best interest of the child and to become a voice for the child in court.

"Our philanthropies are oriented towards children and the arts," Mike said. "These programs are important for children living in poverty."

Last year, 63 CASA volunteers served 262 children in Shawnee County, which accounted for 37% of the children who were removed from their homes during that time period. CASA would like to grow the program and serve more children, but that requires additional volunteers and financial support. Proceeds from the Homes for the Holidays ticket sales and Sweet Treats Bakery, which will be located in the Morrisons' residence this year, will allow the organization to expand its programs.

"The Sweet Treats Bakery will be located in the garage, and people will have the really memorable opportunity to go through our laundry room to get there," joked Grace.

The bakery is sponsored by Sprout Creative and will sell a wide variety of home-baked goods in time for Thanksgiving.

"We just hope lots and lots of people come and buy lots of sweet treats to support CASA," Grace said. "They'll see beautiful homes, learn decorating ideas, support businesses who have given their time to do this, but most of all, become aware of CASA and support their organization for kids who desperately need it."

Shanna Sloyer is a freelance writer from Topeka. She can be reached at ssloyer@yahoo.com.

CASA HOMES FOR THE HOLIDAYS TOUR

When: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 23, and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 24

Tickets: $12 in advance or $15 at the door; available at Topeka Hy-Vee, Porterfield's Flowers & Gifts, Red Door Home Store, Glory Days Pizza, online at casaofshawneecounty.com or by calling the CASA of Shawnee County office at 785-215-8282.

Locations:

• Mike and Grace Morrison, 2859 S.W. MacVicar Ave. (also location of Sweet Treats Bakery)

Designer: Porterfield's Flowers & Gifts, David Porterfield

• Tighe and Margaret LaRue, 1028 S.W. Dartmoor Lane

Designer: Porterfield's Flowers & Gifts, David Porterfield

• Mark and Peggy Murnahan, 5740 S.W. Clarion Lakes Way

Designer: Chris Page Designs, Chris Page

• Josh and Kimberly Svaty, 3162 S.W. Shadow Lane

Designer: Red Door Home Store, Jesse Borjon

PATRON PARTY

When: 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, Nov. 22

Tickets: $75

Ticket includes tours of the homes from 6 to 8 p.m., followed by a party at the Topeka Country Club from 8 to 10 p.m. Tickets are good for touring the homes for the entire weekend and are available at www.casaofshawneecounty.com or by calling 785-215-8282.