STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — HGTV star and construction expert Eric Eremita brought his “Home for the Holidays” workshop to Northwell Staten Island University Hospital on Tuesday, spreading holiday cheer to pediatric cancer patients with a hands-on gingerbread-building event.
The “Home for the Holidays” event transformed a hospital room on the Ocean Breeze campus into a festive gingerbread building workshop, giving children in treatment, who can’t be home for the holidays, a chance to relax, create and decorate.
HGTV’s Eric Eremita and Wendell Holland pictured with the pediatric cancer patients at the “Home for the Holidays” gingerbread house festive workshop.Sydney Maldonado
Eremita, who was born and raised on Staten Island, said he created the “Home for the Holidays” workshop as a way to give back to the Staten Island community and bring holiday cheer to children.
“We love giving back to the community, and why not do what we do best — build and design homes. So doing it for the holidays and building gingerbread houses for the kids, I thought, was very fitting,” Eremita said.
Eremita was joined by HGTV designer Wendell Holland, winner of “Survivor: Ghost Island” (Season 36), who also helped the children bring their gingerbread creations to life.
“For us to be able to put a smile on their faces and try to help out in a small way is great,” Holland said. “It helps us, it brings joy to us, but it also brings joy to them, their parents and their doctors.”
Tables were set with gingerbread houses, icing, candy and Santa hats for children to decorate during the “Home for the Holidays” event at Staten Island University Hospital.Sydney Maldonado
After the guests arrived, the festive event began with rows of tables set with gingerbread houses, an assortment of holiday candy to decorate, icing and Santa hats for the children to personalize.
Hunter displays his colorful Santa hat and festive gingerbread house at the “Home for the Holidays” workshop.Sydney Maldonado
The children started off the workshop by decorating their Santa hats with colorful markers, before moving on to the gingerbread houses, adding candy, frosting and other festive touches to bring their festive creations to life.
Mia adds icing to the roof of her gingerbread house during the “Home for the Holidays” event at the Staten Island University Hospital.Sydney Maldonado
Doctors, nurses, and other hospital staff joined in on the holiday fun, including a hospital staff member dressed as “Mrs. Claus,” who surprised the children with small gifts and helped with gingerbread house decorating.
A hospital staff member dressed as “Mrs. Claus” helps a child decorate a gingerbread house during the “Home for the Holidays” event at the Staten Island University Hospital.Sydney Maldonado
Although the event was geared toward fun, it wasn’t just about decorating. A staff member at Staten Island University Hospital, who helped organize the event, explained its significance.
“Some kids who are in the hospital don’t get to come home for the holidays, and we really wanted to bring them joy and give them this opportunity to use creativity as an outlet,” said Jamie Lynn Homan, major gifts officer at Staten Island University Hospital. “This is just something that will make them happy no matter what situation they’re in.”
Mikey and his mom add frosting to a gingerbread man cookie to add to his gingerbread house at the “Home for the Holidays” workshop.Sydney Maldonado
Event organizers said they hope to make the workshop an annual tradition at Staten Island University Hospital, noting how much the children enjoyed the activities and the holiday spirit it brought out.