Art on Fire raises more than $11,000 for Cultural Center project

Art on Fire, an evening event of art, history, food, drinks, entertainment and more – staged to show us all what Donalsonville’s historic fire station facility can become – ignited in a fiery display of activity Saturday evening, May 13. The Woolfork Avenue Cultural Arts Center was announced as the facility’s future name, and more than $11,000 was raised for its renovation project.

More than 150 attended the fund-raising kickoff gala event to begin the campaign to transform Donalsonville’s historic Fire Station into a community art gallery, museum,  cultural center and event venue, held in Donalsonville’s historic fire station located at 220 Woolfork Avenue.

In addition to food by Kay Cook, festive beverages  mixed by Estelle Brock, and entertainment by the True Blue Band, the May 13th event offered guests the opportunity to meander through a portion of the facility that had been staged to allow attendees to visualize how the facility can actually become an art gallery, historical museum, cultural center and event venue.

Featured attractions  included a 75+ piece fine art show and sale, museum exhibits of Indian artifacts, images of the days after Hurricane Michael, and historic Seminole County photos from the past 100 years – plus a memorial exhibit of the Alday tragedy – fifty years later.  A blacksmith and a potter were on hand showcasing their talents.

BetterWay Initiative Chairman David Maxwell commented, “The Art on Fire event was a huge success and a great beginning in the journey to transform Donalsonville’s historic fire station into the Woolfork Avenue Art, History and Cultural Center. We lit the flames of a great progress fire Saturday night. Help us to make those flames roar into a raging bonfire of positive opportunities for all of us. Flame on!” 

Donalsonville Downtown Development Authority Director Tori Gravlee commented, “The food was divine, the music spectacular, the art and museum amazing and the beverages on point, but my most memorable take away was the people. The people from Donalsonville and the surrounding areas, coming together with a shared interest and common goal, which was and is to promote, bless and grow the place they love; Donalsonville and Seminole  County. It truly was an honor to be a part of  that.”

Donalsonville-Seminole Chamber of Commerce President Sarah Avery commented, “The Art on Fire Event last Saturday evening at the Woolfork Cultural Center was such a wonderful success!  I really don’t recall anything that didn’t work out well … the band “True Blue” was fabulous, the food delicious, the mixologist was phenomenal, all of our volunteers worked tirelessly and accomplished great things in a short time.  We certainly also appreciate everyone that came out to support the event with their presence! They made it all come together!

The Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Development, and BetterWay Initiative  give our sincere and heartfelt thanks to all of the above; we can’t wait to do it again!”

A fired up thank you goes out to each and every person who helped to make this event the success it was  which includes David Maxwell, Tori, Justin, Andrew and Ethan Gravlee, Sarah Avery, Annette and Mark Burkett, Kadie and Austin Matthews, Angela and Joey Harvey, Betty Orange, Laverne and Moses James, Billie McLendon, Estelle and Anthony Brock, Beverly Burke, Maribeth Burke, Tony Buczek, India and Jim Jernigan, Brenda Broome, Rodney Rogers, Kay Cook and her team, Kevin Dowdy, Mitch Blanks, Jeff Hatcher, Donalsonville Fire and Rescue Department, Jamie Underwood, Vince and Minora Edenfield, Becky Worsham, Fran Mattot, Becky Neely, True Blue band, Danny Tye, Bert Adams and the City of Donalsonville,  all attendees, artists, and bar sponsors Still Pond Vineyards, Albany Beverage, Southern Philosophy and Folklore Brewery.

Help continue to fan the flames on the project to transform Donalsonville’s historic fire station complex into an art gallery, museum, cultural center and event venue.

Tax deductible contributions to the project can be made by contacting David Maxwell at 229-524-2343 of by e-mail at david@donalsonvillenews.com