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The Chisago Lakes Area Community Foundation is very appreciative of the overwhelming support for the Highway 8 Chairs project.  Organizer Brenda Palmquist said they received many entries from viewers who visited all 37 of the art chairs that were on display this summer along the Highway 8 corridor, from Chisago City to Taylors Falls.  Michele Lowrey’s name was selected in the Grand Prize drawing, and Michele says that she and her children, Meghan and Jacob had a great time finding all of the chairs!  They received $200 in gift certificates to local businesses.  Michele chose to receive gift cards from  WineHaven, Designer’s SalonSpa, Northern Lake Tavern & Grill, the Cotton Candy Ice Cream Shop Northwood’s Roasterie and Eichten’s.  Michele also received four complimentary passes to the Shafer Corn Maze.  Congratulations to the Lowrey family!

Many people throughout the area were involved in making the Highway 8 Chairs project a success.  The volunteers who built the chairs were acknowledged in a news article in May.  The volunteers, sponsors and artists were also recognized at a “Chair Affair” event held in late June at the Studios of Art in Chisago City.  

The modified Adirondack-style chairs were built by local volunteers and hand-painted by area artists, each with a unique theme. A huge thank you is once again extended to the businesses and organizations that sponsored the chairs, and the 37 artists who found this new art medium to be a challenge, but creatively and colorfully turned the chairs into works of art and conversation pieces!   For more information about the artists and sponsors, please visit www.highway8chairs.com.

The Highway 8 Chairs were displayed at sponsoring businesses from July 1 through Labor Day, and were available for purchase through a silent auction.  The winning bidders have been contacted, and the project is coming to a close.  The five BIG chairs that are located in each of the cities certainly attracted attention and created photo opportunities!  Those chairs will remain in each of the cities, and there’s a fun display planned for the fall season.  

“THANK YOU to the residents and visitors who purchased chairs through the silent auction.   The majority of each purchase is tax-deductible for the buyer, and the donations will benefit our community for years to come,” said Palmquist.

The Chisago Lakes Area Community Foundation is an affiliate of the St. Croix Valley Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to building lasting resources that serve the people, communities and the environment along the St. Croix River valley.  The Highway 8 Chairs project was part of the foundation’s “Life is GREAT on Highway 8!” campaign to showcase area artists and increase local business and tourism.  

Proceeds from the sale of the chairs will be invested by the foundation, and the interest income will be given back to the local community in the form of grants.  

If you are interested in learning more about the local foundation, please contact the chair of the Chisago Lakes Community Foundation Board, Noel Stensrud at (651) 428-4535.

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