Uptown Gravenhurst
Post Press Release Chair Festival
***For immediate release***
Almost $5,000 raised at the Muskoka Chair Festival
Beautifying Uptown Gravenhurst – one chair at a time !
Gravenhurst, Ontario (August 31, 2009) – This past Saturday, August 29th, 2009, Uptown Gravenhurst hosted its second annual Festival of the Chairs.
What started out as a beautification program to help enhance the streetscape of Uptown Gravenhurst in summer 2008 has become an important fundraiser and a new signature event for the Gravenhurst Business Improvement area (GBIA).
After months of anticipation with these one-of- a- kind creations beautifying the streets of Uptown Gravenhurst one chair at a time the bidding ended promptly at 3:00 PM with Chairs being awarded as follows:
Sponsor/Adopter – Winning Bidder
Stedmans V & S – Debbie Provan
Muskoka Bay Clothing – Keith Cross
Gravenhurst Tapes – Kurt Allen
Muskoka Fireside Shop – Eric Gilbert
Town of Gravenhurst – Jessica Clarke
Scotia Bank - Eric Gilbert
Vacation Time Realty – Eric Gilbert
Morley Morley Bell-Towns – Dianne Cross
Taylor Chiropractor – Lillian Black
Blondies Restaurant – Barb Nickel
Penny Varney Jewellery & Gifts – Eric Gilbert
Gravenhurst Book Store - Dianne Cross
6KG – Irene Humber
Bay Street Wine - Pat Loughead
Artstract – Tom Brush
National Bank – Chip Loughead
Jace – Rombo’s Restaurant
Gravenhurst Library – Dianna Pennock
The Gravenhurst Opera House - Dianne Cross
Gravenhurst Carpet & Drapery – Eric Gilbert
Photographic Imagery - Dianne Cross
Scuba Shack – Judith Besso
Knapp's Furniture – Anne Hatfield
Gem & Dia - Keith Cross
Gidley Insurance – Tricia Bernardi
With almost $5,000 raised, this initiative will go along way to help with some of the future activities planned by the businesses of Uptown Gravenhurst to help promote the continued vibrancy and sustainability of the Towns core.
When Jessica Clarke was notified that she was the winning bidder of the masterpiece aptly named “happiness” created by Carol Raymond of Kilworthy which was sponsored by the Town of Gravenhurst she said happily…”I was hoping for this call”.
Laura Meikle, Administrative Coordinator of the BIA notes that “we were again overwhelmed by the support from the community and groups like the Greater Gravenhurst Ratepayers Association (GGRA) and the Communities in Bloom who have embraced the program like they would their own”. GBIA Chair, Judy Terry, noted that “we wouldn’t have had the success without the support from individuals and businesses that sponsored the program to help defray the costs of the chairs as well as the businesses that adopted the chairs and the artists that created these unique Muskoka icons”.
Those businesses that were not open during the festival had their chairs relocated in front of the Opera House which was used as the hub throughout the day featuring such things as family fun activities including colouring contests and scavenger hunts and face-painting. To further engage the community, a community chair was painted under the guidance of local GHS student Danielle Ryan and recent GHS graduate Jasmine Ruttan. The chair was “called” LIVE at 3:30 p.m. by Bruce Laffin of Chickadee Hollow Country Store and artist of the Chair “Don’t Bug Me” located at Gem & Dia Jewellers and awarded to Jasmine Ruttan who became very attached to the chair throughout the painting process.
This year the chairs were supplied by Woodmill of Muskoka who built the chairs to the specifications provided by GBIA after receiving feedback from the artists and the businesses that adopted the chairs last year. Unlike last year, the 2009 collection were folding and made of the finest pine.
If you didn’t have a chance to view the chairs check out the BIA website @ www.gravenhurstbia.com or the GGRA website at www.GGRA.ca.