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La Grange grandfather clocks strike gold for charities
Clocks on display for auction at the Village Hall Plaza. | Jerry Daliege~for Sun-Times Media
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Updated: November 19, 2012 1:34AM
LA GRANGE — La Grange auctioned off 60 hand-decorated grandfather clocks for charity Sept. 7.
Rain early in the day and the threat of further inclement weather nudged the auction under cover at the parking deck, rather than the plaza next to the Village Hall.
“It was a good rain spot and allowed us not to have to rent a tent so more of the proceeds could go toward charities,” said Nancy Cummings, executive director of the La Grange Business Association, the event’s sponsor.
At least $8,500 has been raised so far area nonprofit groups, including the largest beneficiary, Pets and Pals Charity, which sponsors the La Grange Pet Parade each June.
The association is seeking a suitable venue to showcase a few remaining unsold clocks for one more silent auction, Cummings said. Details are expected to be posted on the group’s website at www.lgba.com.
“Interest in these clocks was high; it’s just that people who came out to the auction had a specific clock they had their eye on,” she said.
The highest bid was $550 for “Clock Rockin’” by artist Kimberly Muntwiler and sponsored by Floyd’s Barbershop.
The People Choice Award in an online contest with 4,000 votes case went to Janine Andrys’ “Timeless Patterns,” sponsored by D’Amico Salon & Style in LaGrange Park.
The runner-up vote-getter was “Peaceful Surrender on the Lake” by Kathi Parisi and sponsored by the Sean Patrick’s Salon & Spa. Third place went to Kelli Henrikson’s “All in Good Time, My Pretty,” sponsored by The Green Turtle Design.
Therese Witkowski of Westchester was the winner of a raffle for a scavenger hunt contest with more than 200 entries. Witkowski correctly answered 20 questions based details of the clocks scattered around town and anchored to village sidewalks for the seventh annual outdoor art exhibit.
“Our No. 1 objective this summer is to create interest and drive business to the La Grange business area,” Cummings said. “We had a lot of interest from people around town, between the display, the online voting and the scavenger hunt. It was very well received.”
