SEQUIM — Elaine Caldwell kept one lavender-themed art bench out of the Olympic Theatre Arts gala auction — but not so she could sit down and rest on it.
That’s because Caldwell is 35 days into OTA’s 100-day drive to raise $100,000 for the new arts center that will, if all goes as she hopes, open the first of 2010.
“We’re on day 34,” Caldwell said Tuesday, “and we’ve raised $35,350” of the total OTA is shooting for by July 31.
What she didn’t say is that the $100,000 fundraising campaign is toward a matching donation to go with the $100,000 loan Caldwell and her husband, Bob, made to the community theater troupe in 2007.
OTA had just been slapped with a “Do not occupy” notice from the city of Sequim. Then-public works director James Bay told the troupe that its theater, where demolition and renovation had just begun, was unsafe.
Since then, OTA’s musicals and dramas have had to go on the road to other venues such as Sequim High School.
Caldwell, however, has her eyes on a prize she hopes will raise a bit more toward completion of OTA’s new 162-seat center.
Bench to be sold
It’s the bench created by Sequim mosaic-tile artist Tina Reaume, the only one not sold to the highest bidder at OTA’s annual gala on May 19.
Ten other benches, made by other local artists and sponsored by Sequim residents and companies, were auctioned; the gala netted $13,000, said OTA business manager Loren Johnson.
Now Caldwell is selling $2 tickets to the drawing for Reaume’s bench. Sales were brisk on Tuesday, when she brought the tiled bench to the Sequim-Dungeness Valley Chamber of Commerce lunch.
The bench, made of materials donated by Reaume, will make more appearances at the Sequim Open Aire Market, on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on West Cedar Street, and at the Sequim branches of First Federal, which co-sponsored Reaume’s work.
July drawing
The winning ticket will be drawn at the July 18 performance of “Greater Tuna,” OTA’s summer production to be staged at Sequim High School beginning June 26.
For information about “Tuna” and OTA’s campaign, visit www. OlympicTheatreArts.org or phone 360-683-7326.
Caldwell is promising that once the new arts center is ready for its debut, a “giant” grand opening will take place at OTA’s 414 N. Sequim Ave. address.
“It will be so big, this town will rock,” she said.
And even before the main stage is ready, the “gathering hall” space for dinner theater will open, Caldwell predicted.
Bill Thomas, a Sequim chamber board member, added that the hall is well-suited for business meetings and banquets.
“I believe,” said Caldwell, “we will be in the building by September.”
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Sequim-Dungeness Valley reporter Diane Urbani de la Paz can be reached at 360-681-2391 or at diane.urbani@peninsuladaily news.com.
