WATERLOO -- Sugar, spice and everything nice were the three main ingredients served up at the Junior League of Waterloo-Cedar Falls annual fall fundraiser and pre-holiday shopping extravaganza Tuesday at the Waterloo Center for the Arts. Sugar was prevalent in the delectable desserts, and tasty hors d' oeuvres tempted the 100 women in attendance, all eager to get a jump-start on their Christmas shopping.

Options to spice up winter and holiday wardrobes were introduced by Jennifer's on Main and Runway of Cedar Falls. A new addition to the style show was a collection of men's fashions from Palace Clothiers. Twenty-one local specialty vendors and a beefed-up silent auction offered everything nice for Christmas gifts and stocking stuffers.

"The fall fundraiser provides a great opportunity for many women to kick off their holiday shopping and to raise much needed funds for four Junior League projects that battle childhood obesity in the Cedar Valley," said Deb Young, president.

More than $11,000 was raised and will be used for Kids in the Kitchen, which teaches cooking basics and nutrition to area third- and fourth-graders; the Cedar Valley Food Bank's Backpack Program, which provides healthy food and exercise equipment for some 750 kids each weekend; Safe Places to Play, which funds new playgrounds for children ages 2 to 5; and physical activity packets for early childhood centers.