A Great Cause
Artisans, Loose Change June 18th, 2008 
My friend, Gretchen, from WFTV/ABC-9 clued me in to a great event tomorrow night combining an art auction, wine and sushi — and it all benefits Variety Children’s Charity. (Gretchen is a great person who is always clued into local events and donates her time and efforts to great charities. How she does all this and still maintains her awesome television-producer-extraordinaire self is beyond me.)
chART, a company that introduces artists to art collectors all the while benefitting charities, is hosting one of their great events at the Shari Sushi Lounge in Thornton Park tomorrow, June 19th. The auction is from 5 pm - 7 pm and the auctions start as low as $40. The shindig benefits Variety of Orlando, who strive to provide for special-needs children in the Central Florida area. For every art purchase, Variety will receive 20% of the sale and publicity in the chART magazine. The event is free and open to the public.
chART was started by Casey Swann, who experienced a business slowdown after 9/11. While at an art show with a friend, Ms. Swann noticed how difficult it was for artists to promote and sell their work. An idea began brewing in her mind about an interconnected promotional program designed to sell original art from local artists and benefit worthy charities. The upside is that it provided a creative and fulfilling new direction for her and her business. I hope to have the chance to meet such an exciting person! (Can you tell I’m a big fan of women who Make Things Happen?)
After e-mailing and calling a few friends, a group of us are going together. I hope you have the opportunity to come out and possibly bid on the beautiful art — and say hello if we are to bump into one another!
