If a mural featuring the images of Haverhill celebrities is to become reality, organizers must raise $100,000 for the cause.
They will hold an auction to support the cause.
A "Wizard of Oz Live and Silent Auction Gala" will take place May 19 at 6:30 p.m. at the Roma Restaurant in Bradford. The event will include dinner, Spotlight Playhouse character actors, music from "The Wizard of Oz" and the Broadway hit musical "Wicked," and an auction.
"Our hope is to have a wide variety of items that appeals to a wide range of auction attendees," said Tim Jordan, co-chairman of the mural project.
The Team Haverhill volunteer civic group is behind the city's newest and largest scale public artwork project to date: A four-story mural on the wall of 25 Essex St. The Essex Street Gateway Mural, named "Hues of the Heart'' after the John Greenleaf Whittier poem, will feature notable people and images from Haverhill's past and present, while leaving room for its future.
Jordan said the mural project will cost more than $100,000, and that Team Haverhill hopes to raise the final $20,000 through the auction. All money for the project is coming from donations and fundraisers.
Auction items include a Mojito-making class with appetizers and chocolate fondue for 10 people (valued at $500), donated by Evenfall Restaurant; a private wine tasting at the top bidder's home that includes a case of white wines and a case of red wine and a bartender for up to 30 people, donated by Butlers and Bars; a foursome of golf including two carts, donated by the Bradford Country Club.
Jordan said TV celebrity Tom Bergeron and internationally-known shoe designer Stuart Weitzman are also donating items for the auction.
The 3,000-square-foot mural is being created by nationally-known artist Meg Saligman of Philadelphia. The mural will consist of 50 3-by-4-foot panels. About 15 of the panels were painted last year by community volunteers using a paint-by-numbers system. The mural will be mounted to the wall of the building beginning April 23 and should be completed by June 14.
Other auction items are: A Capitol Tour in Washington, D.C., and a lunch with Congresswoman Niki Tsongas at the Members' Dining room for four people; a chance to be a character in a novel by Andre Dubus III, author of the best-selling books "Townie" and "House of Sand and Fog;" a Willow Springs Vineyard tour and tasting for 10 people; a wine dinner for six at Keon's 105 Bistro; and an original "Big Dog" steel sculpture donated by local artist Dale Rogers.
The mural will feature images of Haverhill celebrities such as Bergeron, Dubus, major league baseball player Carlos Pena, movie mogul Louis B. Mayer and journalist Barney Gallagher, who has covered the city since 1936.
Team Haverhill is accepting donations of auction items, including gift certificates to restaurants, specialty stores or services, travel packages and vacation rentals, autographed memorabilia, tickets to concerts, theater presentations, sporting events and attractions, as well as unique experiences that cannot typically be purchased. The Eagle-Tribune and The Haverhill Gazette are the event's media sponsors. "Legend" sponsor is NMTW Credit Union. Major "Oscar" sponsors include Sherwin Williams, Keon's 105 Bistro and Keon's at the Black Swan, Haverhill Bank, Pentucket Bank and Merrimack Valley Hospital. Grants were provided by the Haverhill Cultural Council and the Greater Haverhill Foundation. Project partners include the city of Haverhill and the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce.
Tickets are $30 per person or a table of 10 for $250 and may be purchased by sending checks made payable to GHCC CAEF to ESGM c/o Tim Jordan, 167 Kingsbury Ave., Haverhill, MA 01835 or online at eventbrite.com/event/3032583539. More information is available from Leota Sarrette at lsarrette@aol.com or Tim Jordan at tjjordan94@gmail.com.
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