Gala to help raise money for a new mural
Proceeds from Heritage Award Celebration to benefit Renaissance Park project.
The Schuylkill River Heritage Center will host its 8th annual Heritage Award Celebration on Tuesday, Oct. 17, from 6 to 9 p.m. at The Foundry to raise money to replace the former mural at Renaissance Park.
On April 28, the Schuylkill River Heritage Center took ownership of the Renaissance Park property.
As part of the organization’s public fundraising initiative to bring back the Phoenixville Mural, members of the mural board set up a table at the park every First Friday this summer. At the August First Friday a young man stopped by our table and said, “What happened to the mural? I remember when I was in 4th grade you took our class on a walking tour and told us about the images on the mural.”
He was told the interior wall of a building that was once at this corner was crumbling and the mural had to be taken down in order to structurally repair the wall.
He then said, “Please bring back the mural. I love it.” Then he put a donation into the cash box on the table.
As this anecdote conveys, the mural has resonated with people of all ages over the years, according to Barbara Cohen, president of the Schuylkill River Heritage Center. This year the museum is “Celebrating the Mural” and is honoring Meg Saligman and Michael Webb for their outstanding artistry in creating the mural.
The public is invited to attend this special event.
Dinner, live music and a special Silent Auction of mural memorabilia and Phoenixville artifacts will be featured. The cost per person is $75.
Those who would like to come and celebrate can send a check to: Schuylkill River Heritage Center, P.O. Box 427, Phoenixville, PA 19460. They can also go to the SRHC web site: phoenixvillefoundry.org and support our mission by paying via PayPal.
The Heritage Celebration would not be possible without the support of sponsors. They include: Aqua America, Beausang, Butera, Cohen & Brennan, Attorneys at Law, Colonial Gardens, Events That Entertain, Frank & Andrea Giardina, Gilmore & Associates, Hankin Phoenixville Foundry Partners, Stock & Eleanor Illoway, Longview Property Group, Miller Designworks, James & Joan Moore, PECO, Phoenixville Federal Bank & Trust, Phoenixville Hospital, Queen of Hearts Catering, SEI Investments, and Sly Fox Brewing Company.
The proceeds from this event will help the Heritage Center to fund the 40’ x 80’ digital recreation of the mural, based on photography dating from 1994, when the original mural was painted.