OQUOSSOC — The results of the second annual Adirondack Chair Auction to benefit the Rangeley Region Health and Wellness Partnership (RRHWP) closed Aug. 10 with the organization seeing its coffers swell by more than $45,000.

“It was a terrific evening,” said Beth Brunswick, one of the event organizers and fundraising chairwoman on the partnership board of directors. “It was nice to see the community come out and help us support all that we do in the community. It (the auction) was a success and it was nice to see all sorts of people get together and enjoy themselves.”

All in all the auction generated $53,094. Of that figure, $4,500 is earmarked for the art department at Rangeley Lakes Regional School and to set up a scholarship program for graduates.

This year’s total figure topped the amount of the 2008 chair auction by $20,000 and featured 18 Adirondack chairs decorated and created by Maine artists, three of which were the works of students at RLRS. One of the chairs, created by senior Britt Taylor, was auctioned off to benefit the school art department and brought in $1,000. The other two student chairs were created by recent graduates, Teryn Austin and Doug Haley.

In striving to further benefit art education, a chair decorated by artist Nancy Teel and honoring the late artist and Rangeley resident Joan Frost, sold for $7,000. Fifty percent of the proceeds from the Frost chair will be used to establish a scholarship fund for a RLRS student “entering into secondary education who has had success in the arts in high school,” according to Krista Perry, executive director at the wellness pavilion.

The auction of the remaining 16 chairs netted $37,570, added to $9,485 in private donations and $1,539 in sales of raffle tickets for an Adirondack chair decorated by Lily Gacki, a Rangeley native and art teacher at RLRS. Tickets for the chair painted by Gacki are still available and the drawing will be held at the meeting of the RRHWP board in September.

Completing the list of artists who gave their creative talents to the auction are Priscilla Bean, Heidi Sorensen, Claire Seidel, Lynn Griffiths Conley, Tamara and Vincent Richel, Terri Wentzell, Pam Thomas, Steve Doe, Scott Ivers, Rebecca Schinas, Dr. Susy Sanders, Sonja Johnson, Bill Wegman and Ashley Gray. Auctioneers were Rangeley residents Larry Koob and Steve Philbrick.

Perry noted that the funds generated by the auction will be used to support programs and events the partnership does not charge for; such as the partnership with Eco-Venture program run by the Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust and the Rangeley Fit ‘N’ Big Loser challenge.

For more information about the auction or to inquire about raffle tickets, contact the Rangeley Rehab and Wellness Pavilion at 864-2900.


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