Nestled among the hills and byways of the Hooper area are

five homes, decorated for the holidays in preparation of Sunday’s Tour of Homes.

The families have been busy getting the homes ready for Sunday’s event, which benefits the Hooper Area Community Foundation. The tour is set for 3-7 p.m. Tickets cost $10 per person.

The Hooper Area Community Foundation represents an area larger than the city. It’s an area with dreams. The library needs updating. The community needs a swimming pool. The ball fields need work. Plantings for Main Street and auditorium renovation top many of the wish lists.

The most efficient avenue for a community the size of Hooper to create an community foundation is to be affiliated with a larger one, such as the Fremont Area Community Foundation. Fremont’s foundation has been instrumental in getting Hooper’s foundation off the ground.

“It gives us an avenue to improve our community,” said Sue Fase, fundraising committee member.

Community foundations are a way to direct the bequests and gifts of those who love their town and want it to thrive into the future.

But first, Hooper’s foundation must raise $5,000. That amount will be matched by the Fremont foundation and held in trust, using the interest only for projects. After that, money can be earmarked by donors for use in their community for projects dear to their hearts.

Sunday’s Tour of Homes is the first step.

“At every home, a representative of the foundation will be on hand to greet people and hand out brochures explaining the work of the foundation,” said Shelly Fauss, co-chairman and board member.

“There are wonderful people in this community,” Fase continued. “We moved here four and a half years ago and this is so much home to us. Shelly and I are enthusiastic about this and people are starting to realize what a community foundation can do. The money given will stay in the community and community organizations can apply to the foundation for financial help with projects as funds become available.”

Families hosting the tour were encouraged to “decorate how you live. So your home says, ‘this is the way we celebrate Christmas and decorate for Christmas.’ And how gracious of them to open their houses for this. They started decorating as soon as I called them,” Fase said.

“The homes are traditional in style. They are farm homes,” added Fauss, “with farming families living in them. They are all beautiful rural farm homes. The families have exquisite taste in decorating.”

The homes are located in what is basically a T formation along the Scribner- Hooper Road that runs east and west north of the towns and across U.S. Highway 77 one mile north of Logan View. The road is paved. Along the way are places like West Admah and East Admah cemeteries.

The fields are harvested leaving an autumnal wash of pale yellow and crisp brown with dried grasses lining the ditches. The first green tint can be seen in the fields of winter wheat.

A map has been printed on the reverse side of the tickets so that those not familiar with the area can find the homes.

People attending may want to begin the afternoon with refreshments served at the Hooper Fire Hall during the tour. Trays of cookies and hot cider and coffee will be offered. Driving directions and similar questions can be addressed before heading across the river and through the woods. Tickets will be available at the Hooper Fire Hall for those last-minute tour participants.

Owners of the featured homes are Roger and LeAnn Ruwe, Kermit and Susie Bohling, Dale and Sheryl Moll, Gerald and Marilyn Bohling and Lee and Linda Bohling.

Advance tickets can be purchased in Hooper at the City Meat Market, Northeast National Bank, Office Bar and Grill and in Fremont at Black Tie and White Satin and the Fremont Area Chamber of Commerce.

“What a beautiful way to begin celebrating the season and to put the troubles of a stressed-out life behind you for a few hours,” Fase said.

This is the first project of the newly founded group. Plans are in the work for a garden tour in the spring.