By RHONDA DUNAWAY

VIDALIA — Vidalia Beautification Committee members are hanging the last of the mistletoe and decorations for the organization’s inaugural “Christmas Tour of Homes” scheduled for 4:30 p.m. until 7 p.m. today.

The self-guided tour will feature three houses:

-Ellen and David Yates’ house at 1203 Concordia Ave.;

-Ricky and Una Knapp’s house at 8 Spanish Court; and

-Justin and Robin Gregg’s house, also known as the Whitehall Plantation, at 919 Louisiana 131.

“We’ve been putting in a lot of volunteer time decorating at spots all over town,” said Ellen Yates. “I’ve been hanging bows and lights since the end of October.”

Yates and committee president Sabrina Dore said visitors could go to any of the houses to start the self-guided tour.

Tickets are $20 at the door and visitors pay at the first house they visit.

Proceeds go toward community projects for landscaping and community-wide celebrations.

Refreshments will be served at each house.

Dore said the beautification committee tries to create several events throughout the year that are free to the public, but the home tour will help make all the other events possible.

“The Christmas holidays are the perfect time of year to bring people in the community together to raise money for our beautification projects,” Dore said. “And that’s what we are really all about — creating events that are free to the public, that bring people out and get them together. Our motto is ‘Creating Unity in the Community.’”

The beautification committee’s donations go toward celebrations such as a Fourth of July fireworks event, Dore said.

“We will be taking care of the fireworks over the Mississippi (River) for New Year’s Eve this year, too,” Dore said.

The Vidalia Beautification Committee is in its second year of existence, helping beautify the community, Yates said.

“Right now we are focusing on parts of Vidalia like the Old Court House and sections along Carter Street,” Yates said.

Dore said the organization has an important partnership developing with the Vidalia Garden Club and the beautification committee invites anyone to participate in the organization’s meetings.

“We are open to new ideas that people in the community might have about beautifying Vidalia,” Dore said.

For more information about the Christmas Tour of Homes, or the Vidalia Beautification Committee, email Dore at info@vidaliabeautificationcomittee.com.