| All of them are “pigs,” but their attires and jewels makes them adorable.
In addition, they are going to help raise funds for the Cape Coral Community Foundation, which in turn, gives the money away in form of grants to organizations helping people in need of various types of help.
This year’s grant total is expected to surpass last year’s of $187,000, according to the foundation’s executive director, Beth Sanger.
For an auction to be held during the Sept. 14 fund-raising event, “A Tropical Celebration of the Arts,” the foundation had pigs made of clay. They are of various sizes, shapes and postures. Then, one pig was given to each of a dozen artists in the Cape Coral area to paint or embellish in any style they wished to create.
The pigs and other art donated for the auction can be seen at Le Swisse Fine Art Gallery, 1113 S. E. 47th Terrace in the Palm Plaza. The gallery director, Honey Costa, said pre-bids can be made at the gallery in advance of the Sept. 14 event, which is to start at 5:30 p.m. at Rumrunners at Cape Harbour.
In addition to the colorful pigs, there will be paintings and other art.
“Not all the artists are from this gallery,” Costa said. “Others from throughout Southwest Florida are also donating. We have 12 artists. The foundation gave them the raw pigs, and the artists chose how to decorate them.
“We are happy that the foundation is showing here what they are going to auction off. We have very professional artists in here, and it is very nice of them to donate their skills to charity, one more time.”
Sanger said they have already received 165 RSVPs for “A Tropical Celebration of the Arts.” The cost is $20 per person. For information, call 542-5594; FAX 542-8307 or e-mail: lisa-foundation@earthlink.net
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“The purpose of the event is to bring more awareness of the Cape Coral Community Foundation and the impact we make on the community,” Sanger said.
The foundation has endowments totaling $6.3 million in assets. With the interest generated by these assets, grants are awarded to a number of non-profit organizations providing various types of support to Cape people who need it. Presently, the Grant Committee is in the process of visiting the non-profit organizations having applied for grants, and a final decision to select the recipients is expected to be reached in late September.
According to Sanger, the foundation receives donations of all sizes, ranging from large estates donated in a will, to a check in the low two digits from individuals. While a large donation might be earmarked for a certain cause, the smaller donations are pooled together and also benefit the community and its people.
Small donors are called “Friends of the Foundation, and there are other sources of founding, such as the Corporate Partners Program, which now counts 60 “partners,” Sanger said.
The major sponsor of “A Tropical Celebration of the Arts” is SunTrust Bank. Sanger said other businesses are also helping, including the owner of Le Swisse Fine Art Gallery, Darci Weichert, who is providing her facility for the pre-auction viewing.
“Realmark (Development) has been working diligently with us to obtain auction items,” Sanger added, “such as four four-day/three-night stays in a luxury condo in Cape Harbour, and Rumrunners is providing their facility with specialty hors d’oeuvres.”
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