Friendship Shelter celebrated 20 years of assisting homeless adults to rebuild their lives at “The Art of Getting Home,” an art auction with a theme and a goal.
The goal of raising $120,000 was exceeded. The goal of restoring self-esteem and hope to souls who have strayed into darker byways is ongoing.
“It is exciting and humbling to be joining Friendship Shelter at this critical moment in its history,” newly appointed Executive Director Dawn Price said.
Price, who has been on the job for a mere two weeks, was given a warm welcome — a $20,000 check from the PIMCO Foundation, presented by Ron Davies.
Davies and his wife, Santina, were the “hosting sponsors” of the shelter’s 20th Anniversary celebration Sept. 18 at [seven-degrees] on Laguna Canyon Road.
The check was also a going away present for Carol Rhoads, whose resignation made way for Price.
“Happily, I can leave my position, but not the ranks of our enthusiastic supporters confident in Friendship Shelter’s future,” Rhoads said in her farewell message.
The celebration was Price’s introduction to many shelter supporters and to the generosity of Laguna’s art community.
Thirty-five artists contributed to the silent and live auction that was the big draw for the crowd.
Donors to the silent auction included Gregg Abel and his son, Tristan, a Laguna College of Art & Design student; Branch Collaborative, traditional and digital artists creating original art and custom archival prints for design industry clients; Susan Dysinger, who combines her love of music and artistic skills to create vivid portraits of blues and jazz musicians such as Scott Joplin; and former Design Review Board member and actor Eve Plumb, who has found painting to be another satisfying creative outlet.
Artistic focus ranged from Jacques Garnier’s “frayed edges of society” to Tom Lamb’s images of the balance of conservation, preservation, development and tourism.
Works by artists Ken Auster, Jeff Sewall, Carolyn Reynolds, G. Ray Kerciu and Jerome Gastaldi were sold at the live auction, with Reynolds’ piece bringing in the highest bid.
The event included a buffet and dancing to the music of Blues Offenders.
