A swanky soiree

The Waseca Art Center hosted another swanky soiree on Friday, July 29, as the month-long Hometown Art Show Silent Auction, a fundraiser for the Waseca Area Caregiver Services (WACGS), culminated in a gathering of art enthusiasts to make final bids on their favorite art pieces

Kelly Beddeger, executive director of WACGS and art center director Jessica Stuckmayer teamed up to create an event that would raise awareness of the necessary services that WACGS provides for Waseca County, and at the same time raise funds for a ramp recently installed at WACGS headquarters.

WACGS provides services for aging adults in the community, who wish to remain in their homes, providing advice for making the home a safer place for the elderly, as well as breaks for caregivers. Journeys, another branch of WACGS, provides services for high risk youth, such as finding permanent residences and work for homeless individuals,who haven't been homeless long enough for county or state officials to step in.

Beddeger and Stuckmayer contacted businesses and community members, asking them to donate artworks for the silent auction. The response was phenomenal; both galleries at the Art Center were filled with donated drawings, paintings, and prints. Although the idea of a collaboration between WACGS and the Art Center was first conceived in April, a last-minute cancellation by an exhibitor fast-tracked the event to take place July 8 – 29.

The reception on Friday began at 5 p.m. Beth Stankiewicz, program director and accounts manager for WACGS, attended a table at the door where visitors signed in and collected their bidding numbers, while local musician Bob Stephan entertain with his talented guitar playing. Morgan's Meat Market donated meat and cheese trays for the Friday evening event.  Lush Cakes provided mini cakes and colorful macaroons. The Mill Event Center catered an array of wine and non-alcoholic beverages.

Attendees visited and toured the galleries to bid on artworks, and then toured them again to compare notes with friends on which pieces they hoped to win. Some of the attendees included Brad Donner, who recently began working as office manager at the art center, Shanna Peoble, program coordinator for WACGS, Sherry Scholljegerdes, who donated artworks she brought back from a medical missions trip to Haiti with granddaughter Stankiewicz, Carol Wobshall and Diane Forsythe, whose bids won them both a small collection of paintings they found delightful, and Trudy and Dick Fisher, who unofficially shared a history of the building in which the Waseca Arts Center now exists.

As the clock ticked toward 6:30 p.m., Beddeger counted down the last five seconds, at which time the bidding closed, and those with winning bids collected and paid for their newly acquired artworks.

All of the proceeds for the Hometown Art Show Silent Auction went toward WACGS. It is estimated that this event raised over $1,000 for the organization. The organizers hope to make the collaboration between WACGS and the Waseca Art Center a yearly event.