This is magical,” project coordinator Donna Cota said.
She was referring to the great turnout (more than 125) and the animated buzz in the air as Friends of the Library supporters and Night Time Altrusans gathered on April 12 for a wine and cheese reception at the Painted Chair Fundraiser in Santa Maria Town Center West.
This was a charming event.
On display were 43 chairs—large and small—with raffle ticket buckets in front. Raffle tickets were (and are) $1 each or six for $5. Winning tickets will be drawn on April 21.
More than 30 local artists gave their time and talents to hand paint the chairs, each tied to the theme of a book (e.g., Raggedy Ann, Moby Dick, The Little Prince, Harry Potter, and The Velveteen Rabbit).
“This was hard to do,” artist Jill Targer told me. “Wood is not my medium. I am accustomed to watercolors and silk.”
But she pulled through with a colorful green chair charmingly illustrated to coincide with the theme of the book Goodnight Moon.
“This was tricky,” artist Minnie Anderson reiterated. “I couldn’t do this the way I usually draw. My book, Suds in Your Eye, had to do with the World War II time frame.”
She captured the lighthearted feel of the book with her lively illustrations painted against a khaki background.
Quasi-artist Tom Targer (he painted his wife’s chair emerald green before she took up her brush) commented, “I wish they had thrown some Barcaloungers in the mix.”
Very funny, Tom!
Mosaic artisan Anna Libbon showcased her increasing prowess and dramatic flair with an eye-catching black chair, glittering with shiny shards. This was tied to the vampire saga Twilight.
I stopped by the mall the day after the reception to find Donna and Paul and Bea Goyette handling the raffle ticket tables. Donna told me that they had sold more than $900 worth of tickets the night before.
“And this is to people who were already supporters and artists!” she exclaimed. “They are so generous.”
The chairs will be on view until the 21st, when the winners will be announced. All funds go to the library to support programs and meet needs created by government budget cuts.
The Friends of the Library have a motto: D.E.A.R. (Drop Everything and Read).
The Painted Chair Fundraiser was a collaboration of Friends of the Library, Night Time Altrusa, and the Parks and Recreation Department’s foundation P.L.A.Y. (People for Leisure and Youth.)
Minerva Club bustling with activity
The Minerva Club is cooking on all four burners. Their March Bingo fundraiser was a sellout. The Trash and Treasures Sale held April 13 and 14, must have been similarly successful. The historic building that is the Minerva Club was packed, despite pouring rains on Friday.
Minerva members Mary Nanning, Lou Glenn, Mary Oliver, Carolyn McCall, Karen Ransome, and Patti Kirchhof were on hand to help the happy campers who were shopping. Lou Glenn and Carolyn McCall were the resident comediennes.
The Minerva ladies offered jewelry (very popular department), clothing, hats, purses, shoes, household items, collectibles, books, and CDs. By noon on Saturday, the piles of merchandise were decimated.
This was certainly a case of “the price is right.”
If you want to hobnob with Helen, you may contact her at helenthom232@yahoo.com.
This article appears in Apr 19-26, 2012.