The AAUW 2002 Scholarship Tour of Homes takes place Sunday, Oct. 6.

The anticipated success of the tour will help the organization to fund four scholarships to help young women further their education and others to resume their education.

That is what spurs the AAUW members to each fall work to make the home tour the most successful in the long history of the event.

Four homes will be visited noon to 5 p.m. Oct. 6 in Austin.

Tickets are $12 each and available at Black Bart's / Nemitz's in downtown Austin, from AAUW members or at each home Oct. 6.

Participants are asked to remove shoes at each home and bring footlets.

Also, no children under the age of 10 are allowed on the tour.

No chewing gum or smoking are allowed.

Participants are asked not to open closed doors in the homes.

The American Association of University Women use proceeds from the home tour to help fund their scholarship efforts. The home tour is the largest single fund-raiser of the AAUW each year.

It helps fund scholarships for two recent graduates who are planning to further their post-secondary education at Riverland Community College.

Also, it helps fund two other scholarships for women who are returning students, seeking to resume their post-secondary education.

AAUW volunteers will be at each of the homes to guide visitors through the dwellings and to explain the interior design and decor and some history about the homes.

According to Peg Benzkofer, membership vice-chair, the home tour is so popular homeowners will recommend their own homes for next year's tour or the unique homes of their friends.

This year's home tour offers participants a taste of elegance, unique styling and history, according to AAUW.

The homes include the Cheryl and Keith Van Pelt home at 4905 20th St., NW.

The couple designed their 4,000 square foot home in 2000. It is situated on the site of the original Van Pelt family farm stead, which dates to 1868.

Also on the itinerary is the Eulalah Adwell home at No. 110 1200 18th Ave. NW.

Life at The Oaks condominiums is an example of retirement living at its very best.

Home tour participants will enter by using Mrs. Adwell's own private entrance and not the main entrance to The Oaks.

The Stevens home at 500 8th Ave. NW is a stately Greek revival-style home, built at the turn of the century as a modest four-bedroom home.

Exquisitely furnished with period-appropriate pieces in the Queen Anne and William Morris styles, the home is a feast for the eyes.

The last home n the 2002 tour is the Dunlap house at 710 4th Ave. NW.

The prairie-style home built n 1914 has two three-season porches and a newly renovated cherry wood kitchen plus a double-access staircase and formal library.

The AAUW Educational Foundation provides funds to advance education, research and self-development for women and foster equity and positive societal change.

For membership information, contact Renee Accuro at 434-3694 or Peg Benzkofer at 433-5934.

Lee Bonorden can be contacted at 434-2232 or by e-mail at :mailto:lee.bonorden@austindailyherald.com