Art walk appreciates sponsors, volunteers

To the editor:

Fairfield 1st Fridays Art Walk and the Fairfield Area Chamber of Commerce would like to express deep appreciation to the sponsors, partners and volunteers that contributed to making the Dec. 2 Gingerbread Extravaganza such a successful event.

With gratitude we would like to acknowledge the contributions of the following organizations and individuals:

A big thank you goes to the Fairfield Art Association and the following artists for their artistic contribution to the decoration of gingerbread houses that were sold to raise money for art walk. The individual artists include: Rosie Estrin, Kella Moschkau, Phoeber Fiedler, Kara Jeffrey, Amber Tripp, Astrid Hoose, Karin Hauring, Nancy Huebner, Deb Doyle, Charlotte Forbes, Mary Arnold, Sandi Fiedler, Sean Hickey, Tom Todar and Suzan Kessel. Further, art walk wants to thanks Yummy?s for supplying all the icing to create such lovely houses.

We would also like to acknowledge the generous donations from local shops and businesses for the gingerbread awards and prizes. Everybody?s supplied all ribbons and also provided gifts certificates as well as Café Paradiso, Kim?s Kottage, Georges Steak House and Finnywick?s. A warm thank you goes out to our gingerbread judges: Lacey Jacobs, Holly Moore and Tracy Vance without whom, we would not have any contest winners.

Further, it is because of the Agapeland Daycare and Preschool ?brigade? who took charge and managed the children?s gingerbread workshop that so many children went home with adorable gingerbread houses. We would also like to add that Hy-Vee contributed a good portion of the materials for the houses and mention that the Fellowship of the Holy Spirit Church generously allowed art walk to use their facility to host the workshop.

We would also like to thank Dick Reed, Mark Shafer and Gene Luedtke for braving the cold and entertaining the horse drawn wagon passengers with fun historical facts about Fairfield as they traveled to and from the Fairfield square and the Fairfield Public Library. Another warm thank you goes out to our wagon ride ticket taker and gift wrapper, Elaine Clawson and Susan Stone.

Finally, we are really excited and grateful to have collaborated with the Fairfield Public Library, which is currently hosting the non-profit gingerbread creations, which are still available to vote on by public donation until Dec. 10 at 3 p.m. Their passion toward this event is evident when you walk through the doors of the library and view the ?to scale? model of the Library of Congress made by librarian Rebecca Huggins.

It is because of the warmth, enthusiasm and generosity of this community that Fairfield 1st Fridays Art Walk exists and will continue to thrive. We hope for your continued support and participation as we ourselves are dedicated to celebrating the creativity, culture and community that the city of Fairfield has to offer.

? Dania De Bortoli, event coordinator and member of the 1st Fridays Art Walk Board of Directors