The Dimmick Memorial Library's gingerbread contest voting raised over $500, according to director Rachel Hoff.

"It was a close race," she said as she tallied the votes.Winners were announced Monday in the Jim Thorpe building."The Nativity pop-up really took it with 100 votes."Second place went to the Moose Lodge and third went to Santa's Village.Jim Thorpe resident and 10-year-old Brooke Higgs grabbed the $35 prize for her village creation."It took three and a half days to make," she said.Higgs said she used two gingerbread kits, icing, flour and "a lot of sprinkles.""I thought it was appropriate because Christmas is coming," she said of the village.The most challenging part according to the builder was "putting the house together. My mom was just going to use glue, but I yelled at her because it has to be edible."Tom McBride, former library trustee board member, said it was during a vacation in Germany many years ago that helped him develop the idea for a gingerbread house contest."I saw it there and thought we need one here," he said. "It's great. It's nice to see the families involved and getting away from the television."