November 23, 2006 Issue                                       

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©2006 The Chestnut Hill Local

AbZOOlutely beats all expectations
The auction that wrapped up 10 weeks of community events made more than $78,000. Organizers are thrilled.
by PETE MAZZACCARO

“BLT” the pig adorned a large table of candy

Ten weeks of community events came to a thrilling end for organizers and Chestnut Hill participants last Saturday when the 50 animals of AbZOOlutely Chestnut Hill were auctioned off at Chestnut Hill College for more than $78,000.

The auction and gala attracted more than 300 well-dressed Hillers to the picturesque Rotunda for cocktails, “junk food” (sausage sandwiches, chicken fingers, cotton candy and pretzels) and the chance to put a bid on a wide assortment of animal statues that were painted by an even greater variety of artists.

“It was fabulous,” said an exuberant Chris Lane, owner of the Philadelphia Print Shop in Chestnut Hill and chair of the event. “When we planned this thing we were hoping to cover budget and make $35,000. My hope was that we’d make between $50,000 to $60,000, so yeah, we’re thrilled.”

What pleased Lane about the event more than anything was the community’s involvement. The auction’s success, he said, wasn’t about the event’s sponsors buying the animals they paid for — most of the animals went to people who live in the community and were looking for a keepsake from the project.

Bob Bacino and wife, Joyce

“A lot of people came to the auction who we didn’t know,” Lane said. “I think that shows that people in Chestnut Hill really took AbZOOlutely to heart. It meant a lot to them and the auction’s success shows that. It was a positive thing that brought the business community, the artistic community and the rest of Chestnut Hill together.”

Jane Piotrowski, who was responsible for designing the event’s logo, mailers and signs in addition to putting in a lot of volunteer work, was equally pleased with its success.

“Everything we expected to be big turned out to be even bigger,” she said. “I knew it would be great but I never thought it would be so successful.”

AbZOOlutely Chestnut Hill was first proposed two years ago by John Ingersoll, owner of the Chestnut Hill Cheese Shop and a member of the AbZOOlutely committee, Lane recalls. The Chestnut Hill District board voted to go ahead a year ago and began meeting to develop plans last December. They got Kathleen Scott Gallagher to paint a giraffe and raised more than $100,000 in sponsorship money to fund the 10 weeks of events, which began in mid September with the unveiling of all the animals.

Bob Previdi, director of the Chestnut Hill District, had similar things to say about AbZOOlutley’s success, crediting the event with bringing people in the community together.

Chestnut Hill Community Association Community Manager Ed Budnick tends bar

“We managed to bring people together and have a great community party,” he said. “That was our primary goal.”

On the business end, Previdi said that most of the comments he received from business people on the Avenue was that foot traffic was up in their stores.

“We managed to bring people from the community and outside the community to the Avenue,” he said.

Previdi and the Chestnut Hill Business Association staff that worked on the event — Peggy Miller, Peggy Hendrie and Kate O’Neill — will not have time to rest on their laurels, as it were. Previdi said the group is going hard right into the holidays.

“We’ve got three Stag and Doe nights coming up, and we’re staying open late on Fridays through December,” he said. “Then we’ll be able to regroup and plan for 2007.” Lane laughed when asked if he would be involved in replicating AbZOOlutely again in a year or two.

AbZOOlutely co-chairs Chris Lane and Dana Levitties flank auctioneer Nicolas Lowry. (Photos by Jimmy J. Pack Jr. For more photos, visit chlocalphotos.com.)

“Not me!” he said. “A lot of people are interested in doing it again so we’ll consider it.”

Piotrowski said she couldn’t wait to try it again.

“I hope we do it again,” she said. “It pulled a lot of people together. It was the community at its best. We need more of that.”

The money raised by AbZOOLutely goes to three organizations. The first 10 percent goes to the Philadelphia Zoo. The rest will be split between the Chestnut Hill Community Fund and the Chestnut Hill District. The Chestnut Hill District has earmarked the money for streetscape work on Germantown Avenue.