Ella Mae Smith places pretzels on the roof of the gingerbread house she was making recently at the Evans City Senior Center.

Evans City resident Shirley Jones did not make gingerbread houses, either growing up or with her own children.

“A storm hit ours — a big storm,” Jones said joking about the gingerbread house. “The wind's too strong right now.”

Working with Jones was Mary Ann Adamson of Evans City who repaired the caved-in walls of their house with gobs of chocolate icing.

“I'm trying, but I don't know what I'm doing,” Adamson said, laughing about their first experience making the holiday craft.

Sweet notes of graham cracker and marshmallow, and the fresh aroma of peppermint candy canes filled the Evans City Senior Center as attendees built gingerbread houses last week for the holiday season.

This is an excerpt from a story in Tuesday's Butler Eagle.