School Will Have Annual Fund-Raiser

Karen Pagliuso believes in total commitment. She is not only co-chairing the committee that is sponsoring the 35th annual Hoover High School Tour of Homes on Saturday, her Glendale residence is one of the five stops on the tour.

“It’s a great way to keep your house in shape,” she joked.

Pagliuso’s home, and the other four, will be decorated for Christmas by local florists for the school’s fund-raiser. The florists are donating their time and providing materials at cost.

“It’s a combination of the homeowners’ and florists’ efforts,” Pagliuso said.

Her house at 1661 Grandview Ave. also will be the site of a boutique jewelry sale sponsored by Toll Junior High School. The Okland home at 1729 Grandview Ave. will feature an international country kitchen with baked goods for sale. Hoover music students will perform at the Eberhardt home at 1600 Virginia Ave.

The Carlson and Butler homes, 1530 and 1548 Hillcrest Ave., respectively, are within walking distance of the Eberhardt house.

“This is all contingent on it not pouring down rain or (the guests) being 90 years old,” Pagliuso said.

She has opened her house for the tour before--about 10 years ago--although this is her first year working on the committee. The house has since been redecorated. She says she is not daunted by the prospect of large numbers of strangers going through her house.

“Most of the people on the tour do a lot of large entertaining,” she said, adding that a few hundred extra people is OK with her. “They’re not coming to dinner.”

Pre-sale tickets, at $8 for adults and $6 for students and senior citizens, can be obtained at Hoover High, 651 Glenwood Road. On Saturday, tickets will be available at the tour homes for $10 and $8. Tour hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.