For an additional attraction to the Lethbridge Air Show this Saturday, July 23, check out a special Shuffle Up and Deal fundraiser at the Royal Canadian Legion.
Todd Lacharite is looking forward to the second edition of his popular Shuffle Up and Deal project. The first time it was to raise money for the Bowman Arts Centre’s adult special needs art program. This time 100 per cent of the proceeds will be donated to the Royal Canadian Legion.
He contacted 53 local artists to explore the theme of “nose art” or art used to decorate the nose cones of airplanes in the Second World War.
“I’m really impressed with the art,” Lacharite said.
It runs along similar lines to last year’s “Shuffle Up and Deal” for the adult art program at the Bowman Arts Centre— 53 artists were asked to design individual playing cards, which have been made into decks of cards. The cards will be sold with all proceeds going to the Legion. The 1,000 decks were sold for $15 each at the Farmer’s Market, July 6,13 and 20, at the air show and at the Bowman Arts Centre.
As a special bonus, the original individual pieces are being auctioned off in a silent auction ending at a gala event at the Legion, July 23, during the Lethbridge Air show featuring live music by the Necessities and Matt Robinson.
The pieces were on display at the Owl until July 2 but have since been moved to the Legion. The silent auction has already begun through a bid book, with each piece having its own bidding page. While some pieces already have bids as high as $300, some don’t have any at all.
At 6 p.m. there will be a buffet roast beef dinner with potatoes, salad and dessert catered by the Country Kitchen.
“We could use more ticket sales for the dinner,” he observed.
The auction begins at 9 p.m. with hosts Rick Gillis and Aaron Hagan, who will be dressed in Second World War GI fatigues. There will also be a lot of door prizes including CDs donated by local musicians and items from donors like the Owl Acoustic Lounge.
“For like one in 10 people,” Lacharite continued.
“And the Snowbirds might make an appearance. We will have some stuff from the Snowbirds, maybe even a flight suit,” he said.
In addition there will be door prizes and as a special bonus, local artists including Rick Gillis, Darcy Logan, Jason Trotter and Nathan Harker have donated pieces of art they created on pieces of actual Second World War Lancaster airplanes donated by the Nanton Air Museum.
“Rick Gillis, turned a piece of fuselage set on its end into a sculpture with steel rods representing grass and a butterfly on them. You have to see it,” enthused Lacharite. These larger pieces will be auctioned off at the gala event.
Local performers the Necessities and Matt Robinson along with some surprise guests will be performing at the Gala event, July 23.
Tickets for the event cost $35 which a roast beef buffet dinner. Doors open at 6 p.m., with dinner being served at 7 p.m. Or you can just come for the live auction, which begins at 9 p.m.
Tickets are available at the Bowman Arts Centre and the Owl Acoustic Lounge.
The decks of cards are available at the Southern Alberta Art Gallery, the Bowman Arts Centre, the Owl and the Legion.
Tickets for the dinner cost $35 or $15 for just the auction and music.
