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Artists team up to buy textbooks By AMBER FOSSEN Ashland Daily Tidings Ashland schools will soon benefit from local artistic creativity. Walker Elementary Principal Michelle Zundel works with Ashland High School senior Erica Bohenke Wednesday night on decorative key chains to be sold in the "Beads for Books" campaign. Photo courtesy Libby Edson Ashland Artists 4 Education, a growing group of local artists, launched the "Beads for Books" campaign this week to raise $50,000 for Ashland School District textbooks. The campaign, which aims to sell decorative key chains throughout the city to generate funds, falls under the umbrella of a larger Ashland Schools Foundation movement to partner schools and businesses together to buy books for schools. Ashland resident Libby Edson and her friend Cerina Vincent, who played Marcy in "Cabin Fever," created Ashland Artists 4 Education last spring to join area artists together in support of education. Edson, owner and founder of Impulse Jewelry, said Briscoe Elementary's closure in June prompted her to take action. "I felt if I sat around and said 'Oh well,' what would I be showing my kids? Even though this is the card that has been dealt, there could be a way out," Edson said. "I'm trying to show my kids they have options no matter what comes their way in life." Edson contacted Walker Principal Michelle Zundel - who has worked with the Innovative Solutions Committee since last spring on ways to generate revenue for the district - to find out how she could help. Zundel said Edson's work was in stride with the committee's goal of partnering businesses and schools together. "Rather than create a one-size-fits-all program, we're trying to go to businesses and say what works for you," Zundel said. "We're looking for ways to have a win-win here for businesses to gain from increased publicity while they're able to contribute." For Edson, art works. "Since art is creativity, we can be creative in helping the schools," she said. Edson, with the help of Zundel, Ashland Schools Foundation Interim Executive Director Susan Bacon, Southern Oregon University students, several teachers, Ashland High School Key Club members and middle and elementary school students began making decorative key chains Wednesday night. The key chains will be sold throughout Ashland with a suggested donation of $10. All proceeds will go directly to the ASF for district textbooks. Edson said the night was a success and students began brainstorming how they could contribute to the campaign. "They were so excited. It was just really kind of neat to see them take this and run with it," she said, noting she wants to instill a sense of empowerment among students. In addition to selling beaded key chains - for which The Bead Studio is providing through discounted materials and marketing - a silent auction will be held Nov. 8 at Mobius at 281 Fourth St. Edson said 100 percent of the auction's proceeds will go toward benefiting the schools. "I've already got 20 to 25 artists on board for that and I get more every day," Edson said. Bacon said Edson's "Beads for Books" campaign happened to coincide with the promotion ASF is working on. She said other local businesses have contributed in the past and continue to contribute. It's an idea she hopes will gain a foothold. "There have been a lot of businesses who wanted to do something for the schools and by creating this partnership, we're creating a vehicle to do it," Bacon said, noting it's also a great way for Ashland residents to support local businesses. Bacon said the ASF is still working out details of the promotion but the hope is to have a monthly calendar that lists businesses running fundraisers for that month. She said the school-business partnership promotion is tentatively scheduled to run for a year. For more information on how to contribute to the "Beads for Books" campaign, e-mail Edson at [email protected] or log on to www.ashlandartists4education.com for more information. Any artists that would like to contribute can drop materials or submitted works off at The Bead Studio at 266 E. Main St. LINKS: DAILY TIDINGS: Main | News | Sports | Obituaries | Opinion | Columnists | AP News | Subscribe | Archives | Weather | Classifieds | Contact Us | Privacy REVELS: Main | Calendar | Dining | Movies | T.V. OTHER: Road Cams Copyright 2003 Ashland Daily Tidings 541.482.3456. 1661 Siskiyou Blvd., Ashland, OR 97520. Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. - Advertisers -