Anna Malsky an organizer of the Bloom & Booze event at the 900 Rutter building in Forty Fort uses a megaphone to give instructions to those who came to the YMCA Fundraiser.
Fred Adams | For Times Leader
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A bottle of wine sit on a table where the crafts that were being constructed at the Bloom & Booze Fundraiser.
Fred Adams | For Times Leader
Vito Quaglia of Duryea listen to his wife Joanne Quaglia of Leadership Norteast discribe the art work of the 3-to-5-year olds that go to the YMCA Casterline Early Learning Center which the event was held to benefit.
Fred Adams | For Times Leader
The Bloom & Booze event at the 900 Rutter building in Forty Fort was well attended; it featured decoupage planter making, macrame plant holder making, and making paper flowers.
Fred Adams | For Times Leader
Brianna Spindler, 32, of Scranton, left, and Natasha Murthy, 31, of Duryea work on decoupage planters at the Bloom& Booze event Saturday.
Fred Adams | For Times Leader
FORTY FORT — The Arts & Harmony committee of Leadership Northeast held a Bloom & Booze fundraiser Saturday to benefit Casterline Center’s arts and music programs, with dozens of adults trying their hand at crafting a hanging planter.
Joanne Quaglia, a member of the eight-person Arts & Harmony committee, said the event provided an opportunity to raise money for a good cause, while focusing on the importance of arts across the lifespan.
The Casterline Center, an early learning center, is part of the YMCA on property donated by Charlotte L. Casterline, M.D., on Wyoming Avenue. Staff there were hoping for a way to make good use of the building’s third floor.
“The Y actually sent a proposal to Leadership Northeast saying that they really needed help renovating part of the space,” she said. “When we were choosing our project, we realized that this was the project for us. It was really important for kids, teaching them about art and music from a young age.”
She pointed out that sometimes children aren’t taught art and music in school, with many of those programs being cut because of funding challenges. Once the project is completed, the Casterline Center will provide a space to equip children with those creative skills and give them a chance to have a lot of fun, she said.
Quaglia said that although members of the committee learned a lot about leadership, they also learned about things like spackling and sanding.
“We walked into the space and the YMCA said, ‘We want your vision, we don’t know what we want to do here. So please any ideas that you have let us know,’” she said.
So members of the committee tore down the wallpaper, took out the carpeting and painted the walls.
“We physically did the work. We learned a lot.” she said. “We really stepped out of our comfort zone.” The project drew several in-kind donations, including a volunteer team from Home Depot that came out and helped with painting.
Qualgia said Saturday’s event was anticipated to raise about $5,000. The Arts & Harmony committee is part of the current Leadership Northeast class of about 60 people.
Anna Malsky, artist-in-residence at Annamaly Gallery where the event was held, said she believed that both the event and the project emphasized the importance of art for all ages. When putting together the fundraiser organizers wanted to do something a bit different than an “Art and Vino” event, she said.
“We’re doing a three circuit art making/crafting, so we’re doing macrame plant holders, decoupaging terra cotta pots and flower making,” she said.
She said some of those attending were out of their comfort zone, a bit timid about their ability to make art. “So it’s exciting to get everybody moving to enjoy some art and maybe try something new,” she said. The event also included an exhibit by young artists from the Casterline Center and a basket raffle.
Katie Spencer is also part of the current Leadership Northeast class, but on another committee. She was attending to support the efforts of the Arts & Harmony Committee, spending a night out for a good cause.
Spencer said she was a bit nervous, but also excited and looking forward to completing the planter project. During breaks in the program, participants were able to grab an adult beverage and spend time admiring the artwork that surrounded them.
