SweetheART!

The second annual SweetheART auction was held on Saturday, February 10 at the old Mantua Center School in Mantua, Ohio. The auction was a  joint-effort fund raiser for both the Mantua Restoration Society and the Comunity Center Management Board. The 'sweet' part of the event was comprised of dozens upon dozens of delicious home-baked cookies that were available for sale. The auction featured 75 works of local area artists, as well as others. There was a wide range of items, from carvings to paintings, and photographs to ceramics and glass. In addition, many other items were presented in the category of "whimsies." This included 17 hand crocheted, heirloom pieces made by the late Grace Bennett and donated by her daughter, Pat Zupancic of Garrettsville, a truly beautiful collection. Auctioneer Rick Painley returned this year, and his charisma and sense of humor kept the auction very entertaining.

I was invited to photograph the event and spent my time wandering about meeting people and trying to capture a sense of the personalities and overall atmosphere. As always in situations like this, I was taken with the home-spun quality that results when local people pull together, volunteering their time for a common goal. And it's always a pleasure to visit this old school building. Many people recalled for me their experiences of having attended class here back when this was still an active school. I'm delighted that the building was spared from demolition and is being restored for future generations to use and appreciate.