The Oak Park Area Arts Council Sends Out Artful Object 2007 Thank You’s

Contact: Charity Piet
708.358.5693

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 10, 2007

The Oak Park Area Arts Council Sends Out
Artful Object 2007 Thank You’s

Dear Friends,

On behalf of the Oak Park Area Arts Council (OPAAC), I would like to thank you for your support of our annual fundraiser Artful Object 2007, Detour – Art Ahead! held on Saturday, November 10th. We are thrilled with all of the support we received this year. For those of you who attended the evening’s festivities, we hope you enjoyed the evening as much as we did. Thanks to all of our sponsors, supporters, volunteers, and of course all of the participating artists.

This year, $62,000 in grants to 33 organizations providing services or programs to Oak Park, Forest Park and River Forest was awarded. OPAAC is one of the leading local arts councils in Illinois. We award more dollars in grant funds than any other local arts councils. $11,000 in scholarships was awarded to eleven graduating seniors this spring. We are proud to be able to assist these talented young artists as they begin their college career. This summer, we completed our third successful year of our summer teen arts employment program, Off the Wall. The apprentices continued work on a spectacular mural at Lake and Scoville, adjacent to the Oak Park & River Forest High School south athletic field. The title of the second installation is called, “It’s About Movement and the Wonders that Motion Awakens.” Stop by and take a look, it is a fabulous work of art.

As you can see, proceeds from this event are put right back into our community. Many, many thanks for all of your support.

All the best,
Camille Wilson White
Executive Director

Sponsors:
EZ Mail Services, Frank L. Sassetti & Co., Good Heart Work Smart Foundation, Mortgage Resource Group, Park National Bank, Rush Oak Park Hospital, Southwest Airlines, Wednesday Journal

Major Contributors:
Villages of Oak Park, Forest Park & River Forest, and the Illinois Arts Council

Caterer:
Marion Street Cheese Market

Artful Object 2007 Committee:
Nancy Gardner, April Nicholson, Susanne O’Connell, Lynne Palmore, Mary Fran Riley, Beverly Singleton, Rise’ Wendt and Kate Wester

Special Thanks:
Ray Wiggins; John Wielebnicki; Mike Aguayo; Fred Gutierrez; Tom Fulton; Mike Bills; Deputy Chief Kevin Wiley; Sergeant Bill Rygh; Officer Charles McVey; Officer Jonathan Larson; Officer Leonard Donaire; Jack Lanenga & Donna Diederich, Oak Park & River Forest High School; Ed Doherty, Classic Cinemas, Lake Theatre; Kiki Vale and the Kiki Vale Show, WJJD 1530 AM; Wendy Daniels; Ryan Dennehy; Mary Davis Fournier; Jada McNeal; Keeley McNeal; Zurry McNeal; Joseph Townsend; Jarrad White; Jonathan Franklin, Carolyn Elaine & Sonata Kazimieraitiene, demonstrating artists; Yvonne Calloway, Kiddie Kab, Inc.; Les Richmond, C7 Sound Services.

AO 2007 Artists:
William Alexander, Jan Anderson, Denise Austin, Kate Balk, C. Heisel Bergstraesser, Susan Bjornson, William Boulware, Nick Bridge, Julie Wendt Brundage, Mary Jo Bruno, Frederick Bryant, Ed Byers, Lisa Calvert, Vivian Colette, Fred DeAsis, Deco, Kathy Deitch, Denz, Kelly Donahugh, Jenny Donohue, James Duffy, Mary Dye, Pennie Ebsen, Carolyn Elaine, Janice Elkins, Janet Emison, Tia Etu, Jacques Eugene (courtesy of Laurie Beasley, Ridge Art), Helen Lovell Faron, Steve Fisher, Delores Fortuna, Jonathan Franklin, Jeanne Friedell, Carol Friedle, Galen Garapolo, Nancy Gardner, Elizabeth Gaylord, Patricia A. Getz, Susan Gilchrist, Elizabeth M. Granton, Chris Guillen, Jeanine A Guncheon, Claudia Pontarelli-Hallissey, Leslie Hamer, Ann Hanson, Pat Hayes, Linda Hillman, Don Karcher, Sonata Kazimieraitiene, Benjamin Kende, Sarah King, Denise Kirk, Wils Kluge, Sarah Koten, Melody Kratz, Jim Krysan, Paula Lang, Roberta L. Raymond Larson, Julie Youle-Lenoch, Clarence Lindsey, Susan Lovelace, Yvonne-Marie, Marlene Martorelli, Bobbi Meier, Ellen M. Miles, Judy Yang-Murawski, Mary Jo Parker O’Hearn, Susan M. Olmetti, Tom Palazzolo, Nancy Eiseman Paul, Calvin Payne, Greg Phillips, Charity Piet, Frank Pinc, Roberta Polfus, Donna Pope, Marie Pospisil, Debby Preiser, Robert Proce, David Rachlis, Sam Rosenthal, Carol Ryan, Cherie Salerno, Ken Salerno, Karen Schuman, Senior Citizens’ Center of Oak Park & River Forest, Thomas Sexton, Toby Shore, June Shotsberger, Kristi Sloniger, Robert Snyder, Don Sorsa, Dana Stawski, Dzvinka Stifel, Frances Sullivan, Keith Taylor, Tracy Exton Tester, Mel Thompson, David Toan, Nina Ulana, Desi Vasquez, Kathleen Waterloo, Brenda Watkins, Howard Webb, Joe Wendt, Kate Wester, Alexandria C. Whitty, Trish Williams, Hank Witt, Sallie Wolf, and Christine Worley.

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Oak Park Area Arts Council
P.O. Box 950, Oak Park, IL 60303
Phone (708) 358-5690 • Fascimille (708) 383-6692 • E-mail: info@oakparkareaartscouncil.org.