Courtesy Photo­Image

Photo by George Lauby Volunteer Diann Sorenson and Ellie McClymont in the basement

Photo by George Lauby Luis Rivas tears out and cleans up, early April.

Photo by George Lauby Shirley Woodruff

Five artists did live demonstrations Thursday at a fund raiser for the Prairie Arts Center at the Lakehouse Restaurant at the Lake Maloney inlet.

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De De Hill drew caricatures; Wava Best worked with ceramics; Ron Meyer carved wood; Sandy Myers demonstrated watercolor painting; Patsy Smith painted with acrylics.

Hors d oeuvres were served and freewill donations received at the door. Proceeds went to the renovation of the historic downtown federal building for the Prairie Arts Center.

Herb market

The annual herb market and garden sale for the arts council was fabulously successful, organizer Cheri Erickson said. The sale was held May 11-12, and the council’s goal was to raise more than $10,000. They met the goal, taking in more than any of the past seven years.

Each year, clubs and individuals donate sale items, or proceeds from the sale, to the restoration of the building.

Plants for sale included heirloom tomatoes, handmade goods and garden supplies such as birdhouses, planters, jewelry and handmade stepping stones.

Gene Gilsdorf donated a hand-built gardeners’ bench that Kay Cooper painted, and Beth DeFreece won the drawing for the bench. A lot of items sold out, including geraniums and stepping stones, Erickson said.

“Next year we’ll need to get a lot more donations to sell,” she said. What few items are left are donated to places in North Platte. This year, six herbs were donated to the Lincoln County Historical Museum.

Replace and refurb

For several weeks, dozens of volunteers worked on weekends to clean out the basement of the building. They tore down interior walls that were erected during the 1960s and 70s, when the building was home to North Platte Junior College, the forerunner of North Platte Community College.

The old junior college student lounge was located in the basement. Thus, indoor walls were erected.

Work on the building continues this summer. The next big step is to make the building handicapped accessible. Plans are underway to install an elevator, bathrooms and refurbish the interior stairwell.

Volunteers often team up to work the ongoing rehabilitation of the historic building on weekends. If interested in volunteering, call Erickson at 308-534-8732.