Photos of ART in the PARK

by Lou Alexander

Art in the Park was a huge success on Saturday from 10 am until 2 pm.

You could tell by the number of cars parked on Villages Parkway before you even reached Gazebo Park.  About 600 visitors attended the festivities and enjoyed the wares of 44 vendors

The Art in the Park Team, led by Diane Finley, Claudia Welch and Laurie Truman, decorated the Gazebo with fringes and balloons, gave out Door Prizes every 30 minutes and generally directed traffic and solved problems.

Villagers and members may not be aware of all the work and planning which goes in to Art in the Park.  Diane and her team started planning in February, held 8 planning meetings, spent tireless hours packaging cookies, deploying volunteers and boosting the good spirits.

Thanks to all 44 vendors who displayed their wares with elan and flair and attracted many visitors and quite a few buyers.

Thanks to the many volunteers, including Ruth Branch, Ciel Duke, Kyle Finley, Barbara Gottesman, Carol Norden, Linda Planting, Michael Sunzeri, Kathy Tanaka, Kathy Warren.  We thank all those who donated cookies: Wendy Ledamun, Mary Lou Kirsch, Jane Hink, Alice Sullivan, Susan Sunzeri, Monita Bowman, Pam Hanssen, Sharman Watkins, Linda Sims, Kim Lee, Claudia Welch, Marcy Boyles, Larie Porges Truman, Birgit Samdahl, Kathy Warren, Linda Planitng, Fran Schumacher, Sandry Vrooman, Judy Wessler and  Susie Ganske.  Cookies were a great success and sold out quickly.  These people helped pack and price the cookies:  Linda Sims, Diane Finley, Clauia Wlech, Kim Lee, Laurie Porges Truman, Pamela Oliver Lyons, and Linda Planting:  thank you very much.  The packages looked very festive, especially the variety packs.  These people helped sell cookies:  Jan Erhardt, Birgit Samdahl, Kathy Tanaka, Linda Planting, Susie Ganske and Wendy Ledamun....and sell out they did by 12:30!   We made $573 for Arts and Crafts projects from selling donated cookies.

It just goes to show that despite cold weather, cloudy skies and a cool breeze, it is still possible to have a successful event with the positive energy and  enthusiasm of Diane, Claudia and Laurie as the driving force.

We also earned $1210 in commissions from sales, from which the expenses of putting on Art in the Park will have to be deducted.