Re-purposed wreaths being sold for an important purpose: Supporting local arts

BUCKHANNON – Looking to spruce up your holiday decorations?

Upshur Arts Alliance’s annual tree and wreath silent auction has handmade, creative pieces that will complete your home or business just in time for the holidays.

In its seventh year now, UAA’s annual tree and wreath auction has roughly 45 uniquely decorated, repurposed wreaths and trees available at the Upshur County Visitors Center on Main Street.

“The Upshur Arts Alliance either buys or gathers up gently used wreaths and then we redo those,” explained Sandra Presar, a founding member of UAA. “We clean them up, and then give them out to our members who give them out to other groups, businesses or organizations or individuals who decorate the wreaths for us, and then they bring them to us by a certain date and then we display them at (the CVB) for a week.”

The auction items are bound to stand out among many similarly decorated wreaths with the standard red bows – given that there’ a creative aspect to each individual wreath.

“They’re very artistic and made by fine artists so they’re more artistic then the standard,” she said.

Folks can stop by the Visitors Center to view the trees and wreaths and make a bid.
The auction began Nov. 28 and will last through Friday, Dec. 7.

Community members may price a bid from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. from now until Thursday and from 8:30 a.m. until 9 p.m. on Friday.

“We’re open Friday during the (Christmas) parade. That’s how we always set our date is when the Christmas parade is, so we can end on that Friday night,” Presar said. “And we say open later while people are downtown for the parade. The bidding closes at about 8 p.m. that night, and then they can pick their wreaths up on Saturday if they are the winner.”

Throughout the year, the volunteer-run nonprofit organization holds fundraisers that directly benefit the alliance’s umbrella groups, including Buckhannon Community Theatre, Buckhannon Choral Society, Buckhannon Chamber Orchestra, Augusta Youth Ballet Company and Artistry on Main.

Funds raised assist with granting two high school student graduates going into the arts a $500 scholarship each.

“I just hope that they take time to just stop in when they’re downtown and take a look and put a bid in,” said Presar, “because every penny goes back into the arts.”