Dover Dancing Bears
The Rotary Club of Dover is pleased to announce the success of the Dover Dancing Bears with a total of $25,000 raised for local programs and organizations. The live auction on October 14th raised $12,000.00 and the eBay Auction that ended on October 15th raised $13,000.00.
Based on the widely successful “Cows On Parade” from Chicago in 1998, the Dover Dancing Bears showcase twenty nine, three foot and two, six foot tall fiberglass bears which have been decorated by local artists. The bears were on display at sponsoring businesses and non profits in the Dover area beginning July 16th through Apple Harvest Days. The project ended with an auction in October. The Club took on the project not only as a fundraiser for charity but also as a mechanism to strengthen partnerships by bringing together non-traditional partners through art. The project also worked to create a community activity for everyone to enjoy, increased civic awareness, and served as a model to other communities.
Proceeds from the auction directly benefited local non profits and Dover Rotary Charity programs. The non profits include: Seacoast Hospice, Dover Adult Learning Center, The Homemakers, Dover Local Firefighters Association and their charities, Garrison Players, The HUB, Cocheco Valley Humane Society, My Friends Place, The Woodman Institute, Artist in Residence, The Bell Center and Team Travis (Cystic Fibrosis).
The Tomie de Paola bear will be donated by the Rotary Club of Dover to the Dover Public Library as a permanent display in the Children’s Room.
Andrews Parker said the club is preparing for the next public art project for the summer of 2007. Details will be available in the Spring of 2006.