Sold! Up-cycle auction benefits Springfield downtown improvements

Take 50 unique items, add the creativity and humor of local crafters, mix with an evening of competitive bidding and community fun – and what do you get?

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Sold! Up-cycle auction benefits Springfield downtown improvements BY KAREN ENGDAHL, The ShopperOctober 23, 2017 auction Up-Cycle auction items. Photo by Karen Engdahl SPRINGFIELD, Vt. – Take 50 unique items, add the creativity and humor of local crafters, mix with an evening of competitive bidding and community fun – and what do you get? Improvements to the downtown Springfield area and a great sense of civic pride. Sponsored by Springfield on the Move, the Up-Cycle Auction was held at the Hartness House on Saturday, Oct. 21. More than two dozen local crafters re-purposed, re-imagined, and rehabilitated unique items into works of art, which were then auctioned to the highest bidders by John Hall, A.E.A. In addition to the up-cycled creations, donors also contributed a variety of other items to the auction, including a one-week beach vacation, a sterling silver curb link bracelet, original framed paintings, and baskets of Vermont goodies. auction Mary Perry, Up-Cycle Auction coordinator. Photo by Karen Engdahl “We’re going to use the money we make from the auction to work on downtown projects,” said Mary Perry, one of Springfield on the Move’s auction organizers. “We plan to buy benches and tables with attached chairs to put near the river when the park extension is completed.” The park referenced will be created when the old VNA building on Main Street is razed. Pausing to survey the room full of unique offerings, she smiled and added, “I think people are enjoying these things! Should be a good sale!” “I think these are adorable,” said Carolyn Lane, gesturing toward a pair of cowboy boots repurposed as cactus planters. “And look at all the yummy treats in those baskets!” she added as she examined a huge wicker basket full of fruit, cheese, and crackers. Other up-cycled items included household decor fashioned from old windows and shutters, refinished and repainted furniture, lamps made from watering cans and teapots, a “portable happy hour,” a peacock and ostrich feathered hat, and a Total Eclipse of the Sun Chalkboard on a mahogany cabinet door from a 40-foot Norwalker boat (the Crystal Witch) out of the Waucoma Yacht Club in New Haven, Conn. Springfield on the Move is a non-profit organization whose mission is to work with property owners, businesses, citizens and town government to enhance Springfield’s downtown as an attractive, desirable and economically viable destination for residents and visitors. Its members include local business owners, community leaders, local government, and residents who want to help revitalize Springfield’s downtown and the surrounding areas.