Here are Highlights of HPAAC Galas:
Thank you to everyone that participated in HPAAC’s previous galas!
Special Thanks to all our Sponsors and Donors for 2017.
Special Thanks to all our Sponsors and Donors for 2016.
Please share your photos on HPAAC’s Facebook page
Sixth Annual HPAAC Gala
2017 HPAAC ‘s Art Heroes
Hastings:
Debbie and Allen Saunders have been married forty years and together their support and tireless effort to make a place for the arts has created an impact worthy of recognition. Allen’s passion is music. He plays tenor saxophone for the River Valley Band and is now presiding as president of the group. This past year he headed the Summer Arts Program and has worked for the Hastings schools for twenty years.
Debbie is the secretary of HPAAC and has been a core member from the beginning. HPAAC is a full-time job for Debbie even though it’s volunteer work. She writes grants and organizes material for board meetings, events, and scholarships, among other responsibilities.
Prescott:
Judy Johnson, the founder and director of the Great River Road Theater in Prescott has been named 2017 HPAAC Arts Hero. This honor coincides with the 25th Anniversary of the Great River Road Theater, which Judy began in 1992 in order to raise money for the Prescott Chamber of Commerce. Their first play was performed in the open courtyard in what is now the Brickyard Restaurant; after trying different locations around the town, the group began to perform outdoors, under a tree in the park across the street from the Prescott Middle School. Today, the Great River Road Theatre has grown into a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing classic musicals and comedies to the Prescott area. In 2017, the Great River Road Theater moved their production of Annie to the auditorium in the new Prescott High School.
Fifth Annual HPAAC Gala
2016 HPAAC ‘s Art Heroes
During this year’s gala, HPAAC honored three area artists for their efforts and contributions to the local arts in Hastings and Prescott.
Heidi Langenfeld of Hastings and Karl and Collette Sakschek of Prescott received the HPAAC’s Art Hero Award.
Heidi Langenfeld
Karl Sakschek
Collette Sakschek
If there is one constant in Heidi Langenfeld’s life, it is that she can be counted on to participate in what is going on around her. Wherever she lives, she makes it a better place. It is hard to recount all the programs and activities that Heidi has helped organize in the Hastings area; a short list includes bringing the scouting program to Vermillion, recording the lives of senior citizens in Hastings and managing the Historic LeDuc Estate. As the 2016 HPAAC Arts Hero, Heidi is being honored for her long participation in fostering the arts in our community.
When there was a need to find people interested in bringing the arts to Hastings, Heidi was called upon to help shape HPAAC. She was at the first gathering of those interested in the arts and spent three years on the HPAAC board during its crucial development as an organization. She worked on the original committee of the Art In the Garden Tour (now known as the Sanctuaries Tour), which was a collaborative effort between HPAAC and the Hastings Garden Club in 2011 and has continued to work on it throughout the years. She is a willing volunteer on many of HPAAC’s programs and events, serves as president of Friends of LeDuc and Historic Hastings and volunteers at the Pioneer Room in City. The idea of making the world a better place has remained with Heidi and has continued to influence her entire life.
Collette and Karl Sakschek are the 2016 HPAAC Arts Heroes from Prescott, Wisconsin. They will be honored for their contributions to the arts in Prescott, Wisconsin. Karl and Collette were raised in Oshkosh, Wisconsin and met each other while they attended UW Oshkosh. They moved to Prescott when Karl was hired as the art teacher at Malone Elementary. Both Karl and Collette are artists; Karl was the art teacher at Malone Elementary for 36 years and Collette became known as the “Chicken Lady” for her colorful paintings and drawings of chickens.
Both Collette and Karl understood that the talents and needs of the Prescott students were not being met by current school budgets. At first, they used their own money to meet those needs, but soon realized that students could help fundraise through arts activities. Over the years, Karl and Collette raised $40,000 for the Prescott schools. To accomplish this, they organized workshops for students to make and sell alien bread monsters, painted pumpkins and decorated Valentine cookies. Collette designed, constructed and hand-painted ceramic pins to be sold by Prescott students at concerts and art fairs in Prescott, Red Wing, River Falls and other locations. They were instrumental in adding art to the summer school program for the first time.
Fourth Annual HPAAC Gala
HPAAC ‘s Art Heroes
The Hastings Prescott Area Arts Council (HPAAC) recognized two area artists for their talents and contributions to the local arts community. Art Nordstrom of Hastings and Charlotte Vick of Prescott received HPAAC’s Art Hero award at the organization’s fourth annual fundraising gala, on Friday, Oct. 16 at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton’s Grand Hall, Hastings.
Art Nordstrom has lived in Hastings since 1965 and spent most of his career teaching art at Hastings High School and serving as the yearbook advisor. An accomplished painter, he honed his skills in oil and water color while pursuing degrees in art and business education at Minnesota State University- Moorhead. He is also a skilled potter, specializing in Raku pottery, which has its origins in Japanese tea bowls. Nordstrom is a long-time supporter of HPAAC and a former board member.
Charlotte Vick is a lawyer and community activist from Prescott, Wis. She was instrumental in the development of the Freedom Park community center in Prescott and is active with the Confluence project, a joint effort between arts advocates, business and community leaders, and state and federal natural resource agencies to develop the area surrounding the confluence of the Mississippi and St Croix rivers. Vick drafted HPAAC’s bylaws, helped the organization achieve nonprofit status and currently serves as its vice president.
Gala Update:
Come for the food, Come for the fun!
Hastings and Prescott are experiencing a Renaissance of the arts in our communities. Come see what we have been up to.
Enjoy music by The Elizabethan Syngers from the Renaissance Festival and banter from The Black Dirt Theater Hamlet actors. There will be games, prizes, a photo booth and more.
Rachel Latuff, Hastings very own Miss Minnesota will be joining us for the evening. We will be honoring local art heroes Char Vick and Art Nordstrom who have made lasting contributions to the arts in Prescott and Hastings.
Silent & live auctions and a special fundraising moment to provide scholarships to students for arts, music, theatre, writing, dance classes, camps and a variety of venues in and around our communities.
Auction items include: Lutsen getaway, Landscape Design, MN Vikings tickets, Vintage Paintball package, Hastings Creamery milkshakes for a year, and Chanhassen Dinner Theater tickets to name a few.
We would like to thank our sponsors: The Doffing Fund, Xcel Energy, Dakota Electric, Artspace, Merchants Bank, and Rivertown Optical.
KDWA Interview
If you missed KDWA interview with HPAAC gala’s co-chairs, ANDY EVANSEN and MARK BORCHARDT, please visit KDWA’s lower left hand corner of their website’s home page and click on the HPAAC interview listed under “In-Depth Shows Today.” The interview will be available on-demand for a limited time.
Click here for audio (Direct Link to KDWA’s audio)
HPAAC announces Gala entertainers
A dozen costumed singers, two Shakespearian actors slinging insults and Miss Minnesota 2015 highlight the entertainment line-up of the Hastings Prescott Area Arts Council’s (HPAAC) fourth annual fundraising Gala.
The Elizabethan Syngers, an auditioned choral ensemble from the Twin Cities, will perform music from the Renaissance period. Founded in 1971, the ensemble is one of the longest performing musical ensembles at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival and is a favorite among festival patrons. A dozen members of this high-spirited group will entertain Gala attendees with songs and banter. The group is directed by Samuel Grace, a graduate of Gustavus Adolphus College and the University of Minnesota. Grace enjoys a fine reputation in the Twin Cities area as a rising star in the area of choral conducting. A Hastings resident and member of the ensemble, Kristie Shaffer, is a music therapist and has worked with special needs students in the Hastings school district for 17 years.
The Hamlet Players – all two of them – from Hastings’ own Black Dirt Theater are sure to enliven the evening as they roam around the crowd slinging insults at each other and engaging attendees.
Miss Minnesota 2015
(Sarah Morreim Photography)
Miss Minnesota 2015 Rachel Latuff will give a brief presentation and pose for photos with guests. Latuff, a native of Hastings and a 2009 Hastings High School graduate, earned the title in June and has since been making appearances across the state to promote her platform “Teaching the Heart: Building the Social and Emotional Wellness of Youth and Their Teachers.” She has a bachelor’s degree in art education from the University of Minnesota-Duluth.
“Unmasking HPAAC” Fundraising Gala Games
Heads or Tails
On Gala night one lucky player will win a cash jackpot in the game of Heads or Tails. The “Heads or Tails” game is a 50/50 raffle with a potential grand prize of $599.99. The more strands of beads purchased the larger the prize and the more strands you purchase the better the odds you will be our winner!
Bead sellers will be strolling the Gala hall from 6 until the start of the live auction and beads are $10 a strand or three (3) for $25. Each player may purchase a maximum of three (3) strands. This simple and fun game has participants standing and placing their hands on either their head or their “tail.” A coin is flipped and, if it lands on head, all the tails need to give up a strand of beads or sit down when they have used their final chance. The last player standing is the winner.
Spin The Bottle – a Wine Pull variation
Remember Spin the Bottle from your teenage years? This is a variation of the wine wall but instead of picking a bottle you spin one and get the wine it is pointing to! Purchase a spin, enter the game and get ready to Unmask your prize. We will even store your bottle for you until you are ready to checkout.
The Grub Grab
This one is about food. 100% of our guests eat on a daily basis so we thought, why not make it fun? The plot: A display of masks, each one with a mystery restaurant gift card behind it. Purchase a chance and win big (maybe even a Big Mac). Smells like high intrigue, or maybe that’s the delicious offerings at this year’s Grub Grab game of chance.
Pocketbooth – “Strike a Pose”
Everyone loves a photo booth and this year’s Gala will have one too! Gather your friends or just yourself! Choose a prop and strike a pose. Unmask yourself with this free, fun opportunity to show off your creativity.
Unmasking HPAAC Gala Auctioneer
HPAAC is pleased to announce Stacey McCurnin of Fladeboe Auctions as the auctioneer for the Fourth Annual Fundraising Gala. Stacey is a second-generation auctioneer who continues to fuel her passion by helping clients create meaningful and successful events.
Auctioneer Stacey McCurnin started her life in the auction industry following her father (also an auctioneer) to the livestock sale barns and estate auctions while growing up in Iowa. After graduating from Upper Iowa University, Stacey led a successful career managing IT & Software testing teams for the banking, insurance and education industries. Since returning from living in England for four years, she’s focusing exclusively on helping her auction clients create meaningful events. Stacey is a graduate of Continental Auctioneers School in Mankato, Minnesota and is certified in Charity/Fundraising Auctions. She lives in the Twin Cities with her husband and daughter. In her free time, Stacey enjoys reading, playing piano and international travel.
Unmasking Emcee for HPAAC Gala – Janet Martin
The Emcee for the Fourth Annual HPAAC Gala, Janet Letnes Martin, has been observing life ever since her childhood in Hillsboro, ND. She has employed these observations to co-author more than 15 books. Her book, Growing Up Lutheran: What Does This Mean?”, co-authored with Suzanne Nelson, won the coveted Minnesota Book Award for Humor, and was produced into a musical comedy, Church Basement Ladies. This wildly successful musical and its four sequels have been playing to sold-out houses across the country for the last decade. Most recently Janet has co-authored Lemonade for the Lawn Boy with artist and “flower bomber,” David Cook. That book, in turn, has become a musical. Be watching for dates when it may appear in Hastings. Janet Letnes Martin is always willing to share her good humor about “the lighter side of life” with anyone she meets. She has been doing this through her writing and speaking for over twenty years. Gala-goers are in for a real treat as Janet walks them through the program for the evening!
HPAAC Gala will be a Tasty Affair
The Hastings Prescott Area Arts Council’s (HPAAC) fourth annual fundraising gala, held 6-9:00 p.m., Friday, Oct. 16 at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton’s Grand Hall, 2035 15th St. W., Hastings, promises to be a tasty affair. Attendees are welcome to dress in renaissance or festive attire for the masquerade themed event. The 4-course plated meal, catered by Green Mill, includes hand-passed hors d’ oeuvres (raspberry and brie tartlets, cilantro lime shrimp cocktail, bourbon meatballs), fresh baked bread, Caesar salad in a parmesan cup with balsamic drizzle and bruschetta, and a dual entrée of almond crusted walleye with garlic aioli and cabernet beef tips, served with rosemary baby red potatoes and glazed carrots. Dessert options include Oreo truffles, chocolate covered tuxedo strawberries, mini lemon cheesecakes with whip cream and raspberry, and chocolate cappuccino cups. A cash bar is offered featuring two special drinks:
The Masquerade Martini with berry-infused vodka and The Gala Glow with raspberry and vanilla notes. The theme of the gala is “Unmasking HPAAC.” It was chosen to highlight the renaissance of the emerging arts community in Hastings. The event will feature dinner, music, fundraising games, art displays, a live and silent auction, and the opportunity to meet with local artists and purchase their work. Tickets are $75 and can be purchased NOW online and at the following locations: Green Mill Restaurant, Evansen Art Studio, YMCA, and the Orange Dragon Art Gallery. HPAAC, which has helped foster the arts in the community for more than 8 years, is seeking financial sponsors and auction items for the gala. To donate or for more information, contact Dick Graham at 651-437-8678, Deborah Saunders at 651-285-5424 or email hastingsprescottarts@gmail.com.
Gala Tickets
Available online and at the following locations:
Green Mill Restaurant, 909 Vermillion St., Hastings
Evansen Art Studio, 202 Second St. E., Hastings
Orange Dragon Art Gallery, 122 Orange St., Prescott
YMCA Hastings, 85 Pleasant Dr, Hastings, MN 55033
The Fourth Annual Gala, sponsored by HPAAC, will feature dinner, music, games, art displays, a live and silent auction, and the opportunity to meet with local artists and purchase their work.
Theme: “Unmasking HPAAC” (costumes optional)
Location: Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish Hall, 2035 W. 15th Street, Hastings, MN 55033
Date and Time: Friday, October 16, 2015, 6 p.m
SAVE THE DATE!
The Fourth Annual Gala, sponsored by HPAAC, will feature dinner, music, games, art displays, a live and silent auction, and the opportunity to meet with local artists and purchase their work.
Theme: “Unmasking HPAAC” (costumes optional)
Location: Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish Hall, 2035 W. 15th Street, Hastings, MN 55033
Date and Time: Friday, October 16, 2015, 6 p.m
The theme, “Unmasking HPAAC”, highlights the renaissance of the emerging arts community in Hastings. Now in its 8th year, the mission of HPAAC is to foster the arts in the community. To accomplish this mission, HPAAC funds activities such as the Black Dirt Theater, a monthly writers workshop, music programs in the schools and free weekly art lessons for adults. HPAAC has also been instrumental in bringing a new Artspace building to Hastings. When completed, the building will provide 37 affordable live-work spaces for artists as well as community and commercial space in downtown Hastings.
The gala committee is seeking financial sponsors and auction items for the gala. To donate or for more information, contact Dick Graham at 651-437-8678, Deborah Saunders at 651-285-5424 or email hastingsprescottarts@gmail.com.
Previous Galas
HPAAC Gala Art Heroes:
2014
Lin and Kathy Warren – Hastings Tom Blanck and Linda Bjorklund – Prescott
2013
Janet L. Martin – Hastings Ken and Deanna Roen – Prescott
2012
Bertrand & Margaret Goderstad – Hastings Mike Erie – Prescott
2014 Auction donors and exhibiting artists
2014 Acknowledgements HPAAC recognizes our exhibiting artists and auction donors. Thank you for your efforts to enrich the quality of life in the Hastings/Prescott area. 2013 Program 2012 Gala