Auction Thank You from the ASPIE President

To All Our Supporters,

We are deeply grateful for your support of our ASPIE auction and reception held on April 14th at the Barn at Paradise Station in Pennsylvania. It was a phenomenal success.

We had nearly 100 people attending during the reception, some traveling from as far away as Massachusetts. Everyone enjoyed the food, the band, and the conversations, with plenty of time to talk to our artists and view the artwork. Eleven of our artists attended in person – the largest contingent of ASPIE artists we’ve ever had in one place at the same time.

We had 68 bidders participating for the live auction with 6 remote bidders from as far away as New York City and Atlanta. Attendees departed with a total of 44 pieces of art through their donations and we distributed almost $5,000 to nineteen artists with disabilities. But it is so much more than the money they receive. It’s the affirmation of their abilities and their value. It is best described by the reaction of three of our first time artists:

• David sat close to his therapist and beamed a bright smile looking incredulously back and forth between her and the auctioneer. He has been involved in art and drama for a few years, but he was realizing for the first time that his art was appreciated so much.
• Katelyn was surprised and tickled to have her art be in a bidding war, but she also realized she was mingling with everyone on an equal footing and in a comfortable setting. She became more than an artist with a disability; she became a full participant in an event showcasing people and their art where disability and non-disability seemed to have no relevance – to the point where she enthusiastically became a donor herself to a fellow artist.
• Danielle was nervous leading up to the event. . She has had a life where she has faced what many perceive to be failure, and she feels that pain. So, she was afraid that her art and her story would not be appreciated. Her autism has caused difficulty in interactive communication resulting in a very cautious reserved exterior. The auction started and Danielle was standing in the back of the room to avoid anyone seeing her disappointment if necessary. Halfway through, her two pieces of art quickly went into a bidding frenzy. Danielle was now crying and literally jumping up and down for joy.

ASPIE remains dedicated to creating supplemental income for artisans with disabilities and partnering with other organizations and our family of supporters. We are committed to creating more exciting events to empower our artists to thrive and educate everyone about the lives of those with disabilities and the value they bring to society.

Thanks again for your support. Your selfless giving enables self-sufficiency for those who need a little help.

Jerry Buckwalter, ASPIE President