Take home one of Hendersonville’s bears
“The pack of 13 bears are part of an annual public art display funded by private sponsors, artists and downtown merchants who work together to bring the bear statues to Main Street each year,” DHI Marketing Director Nancy Tanker said Monday in a news release.
“The statues arrive every April, freshly painted by talented local artists, and stay for the enjoyment of the community until October, when they’re auctioned to the public.”
Anyone can bid and the proceeds are split between Downtown Hendersonville Inc., the nonprofit association of merchants and friends of downtown, and the charity of the winning bidder’s choice, Tanker said.
New DHI Director Randy Jones, who started work on Monday, said he was excited to be involved in the bear auction this year.
“in the past we have done goats and apples, but now they have brought back the bears,” he said. “I like the fact that half of the money goes to a charity of the bidders’ choice. I think that is a great example of our partnership with the community.”
Jones is working to get more people at the auction this year because attendance at the auctions has dwindled in recent years. Last year’s attendance at the public auction of apple art was lower than most years.
“We are working more with the art community to get the word out,” he said. “I think, too, the bears speak for themselves. The bears were a hard act to follow in years past, and now they are back. We know what works, and the bears seem to work. I even remembered the bears from when I visited the area before moving here.”
Bidding begins at $250. Bidders must be prepared with two checks, one for Downtown Hendersonville Inc. and one for the charity of their choice. The downtown’s public art program has raised $129,387 for charities over seven years of auctions.
“We encourage anyone who would like a Hendersonville bear for their own to come downtown on the 23rd to help us raise money for charity and find permanent homes for these wonderful pieces of art,” Tanker said.
“also, this year we introduced a people’s choice award with online voting at DowntownHendersonville.org. We’re about 200 votes shy of the 2,000-votes mark and we’d love to reach that by the Oct. 23 auction.”
The festivities start at noon with a luncheon fundraiser by the Rotary Club of Hendersonville.
An introduction of the bears, artists and sponsors follows; bidding starts at 2:30 p.m.
“We hate to see the bears go,” Tanker said.
“but we love it that the bears help us raise money for charity and all go to wonderful homes where their amazing artistry is appreciated year after year.”
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- Home photos pulled from Island County website
- Lyme Regis: Trust asks public how they would like Fowles’ home restored (From Bridport and Lyme Regis News)
Written by Tim on October 13, 2010 under Work From Home Online.
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