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May
10, 2005 |
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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Hometown News, Press Journal, Vero Beachside News, Cultural
Connection, Sebastian Sun, Florida Today Sebastian Roving
Raffler Unveiling at the Outlet Center at Vero Beach's "Launch Party" |
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“The Mental Health Association (MHA)
connects people in need to solutions. If MHA can’t help you, we know
who can. TurtleTrax is a public art display, sponsored by MHA,
featuring up to 50 decorated sea turtle sculptures throughout Indian
River County”. This statement is Kris Sarkauskas’ favorite mantra
when she speaks about Turtletrax, a combination of fundraising and
public art display that is directly tied to lending community
awareness of the MHA services available to the residents and
businesses in Indian River County. Sarkauskas is the President and
CEO of the Mental Health Association in Indian River County (a United
Way Agency), that has launched TurtleTrax this exciting new charity
event. The newest opportunity for some lucky individual to own a
priceless piece of art is with “The Roving Raffler” turtle. The
“Raffler” will be unveiled to the public at the Outlet Center at Vero
Beach’s “Launch Party” on Saturday, May 28 at 12 noon and the party
will continue until 3 p.m.
Susan Hunt, General Manager of The Outlets at Vero Beach, sponsor of
“The Roving Raffler”, has announced that popular children’s book
author and artist, Leslie McGuirk, has illustrated and painted their
larger than life 6 foot high fiberglass sea turtle which is named
“Cosmic Turtle”. McGuirk has designed about 15 space characters that
fly including rockets, flying pigs, space monkeys, alien spaceships,
even a helicopter with a frog flying it!
The unveiling will be held at space
C120, between Bon Worth and Perfumania at the Outlet Center which is
located on I-95 (exit 147) at the junction of Route 60 in Vero Beach.
Families are encouraged to enjoy the “Launch Party” until 3 p.m. on
May 28 when all turtle related fun and games will follow the exciting
musical unveiling. The Outlet Center will hold a Turtle Coloring
Contest, a Turtle Hunt, Turtle toy give-a-ways, and Story- Telling
with Author/Artist McGuirk.
Following the “Cosmic Turtle” unveiling and the Outlet Center “Launch
Party”, a schedule of locations that the “Roving Raffler” will visit
will be announced for those who wish to take a chance of ownership
with a suggested donation of $10 or three chances for $25. The
drawing of the “Roving Raffler” will be made at the Gala Live Auction
on April 8, 2006, at which time an additional 35-50 decorated
turtles will be released to the highest bidder. Sure to be oceans of
fun, 75% of the proceeds from the auction will benefit the MHA and the
remaining 25% to the buyer's charity of choice. The fiberglass
turtles stand on a pedestal and measure 6 foot in height.
Serving to raise funds for MHA
programs and services to help provide guidance at getting over life's
hurdles, TurtleTrax will also benefit other charities, plus the
business, artistic, municipal, and educational sectors of our
community, as they will be integrally involved throughout the event.
Sponsored by local businesses, each sea turtle will be decorated by
local artists and will be on display at businesses and in prominent
locations throughout Indian River County from now until March 31,
2006. The TurtleTrax artistic committee has identified a talented team
of artists and designers to decorate each turtle. The sponsors are
choosing their artist from the committee selections or may choose
their own artist to decorate their turtle with design approval by the
artistic committee.
Artist Leslie McGuirk, founded the design studio of McGUIRK'S QUIRKS,
and her lively earth-friendly images have created a marketing
phenomenon in Japan, where she is a well-known artist. She has written
and illustrated nine children's picture books, for publishers around
the world, including Penguin Putnam and Candlewick Press in the USA,
Kodansha in Japan, and Macmillan and Walker Books in the UK. The
characters from her books have been in development, both in Europe and
in the USA, to be made into animation. The Pip the Penquin series of
lift-the-flap board books have been translated into several languages,
and are sold in over 60 countries. SNAIL BOY is her most recent
picture book, published by Candlewick Press and Walker Books in the
UK. This fall, McGuirk’s tenth children’s book, “Ho Ho Tucker”, will
be introduced to the public with a public book signing at a local book
center.
For more TurtleTrax information or
information on the “Launch Party”, please contact TurtleTrax Chairman
Barbara Hammond at 772-473-0167or Susan Hunt at the Outlet Center at
772-770-6097. A visit to
www.turtletrax.org is a must. |
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