Creative Marketing Management: October 2010

sculpture-painted-bear-coach/bo/ryan-madison

A great way to "Make a Difference"! Dan's animal sculptures raised $15,000 at the Art Zoobilee Auction. (see Oct 14 posting) Included were "Turtle Sundae", "Blueberry Bear", "Swamp Frog", "Shere Ly-Khan" the Tiger, and "Bo the Basketball Bear", recently autographed by UW Basketball Coach Bo Ryan. Proceeds benefit American Family Children’s Hospital and the Henry Vilas Zoo, both in Madison, WI.

The auction in Dan's words: "It was very fascinating. My frog opened at $300, and these 4 floor walkers would scream "OOOHHHHH!!!!", every time someone would up the bidding. I remember my frog was sitting at $2700, and the auctioneer did his "going once... twice..." then just held his gavel in the air for a minute of complete silence... then "OOOHHHH!" the floor walker dude yells "$3000!" and it went up from there. Usually there would be two interested parties fighting over one animal; which could get quite comical. They saved my Badger Bo the Basketball Bear for last, thinking that it would be the night's big money maker, they were blasting the fight song; I thought the marching band would be coming in...but alas, the big spenders were spent; though it raised $3700.

The "Friends of the Hospital" people were thrilled. The auction raised over $100,000. That was the word going around afterward. Maybe the Children's Hospital can afford to have me paint a new mural! This beautiful young lady I'd been working with hugged me as I left. "Aren't you Happy!" she bubbled. We couldn't have done it without you fixing all these animals, Dan!" Uhh, garsh, I mumbled, "it was fun..."