The 27th Baptist Art of Caring event and auction raised nearly $110,000 for the Kemmons Wilson Family Center for Good Grief. Nearly 300 people attended the event at the FedEx Event Center at Shelby Farms Park on April 16, and several supporters placed bids online.
Guests enjoyed fun drinks and delicious Mediterranean food with a “Santorini Sunset” theme. Activities included a photo booth, the opportunity to create personal works of art, live music by The Gold Standard Quartet, a flower bar for creating mini bouquets and an art auction for various mediums, including glass, wood and oils on canvas.
Local businesses donated items for the silent auction, with 62 local and regional artists represented.
“It was heartwarming to see the support of so many at our Art of Caring fundraiser. The funds raised allow us to continue offering free grief counseling for children, teens and adults in the Mid-South,” said Angela Hamblen Kelly, administrator of bereavement services.
Art of Caring was generously sponsored by the following:
- Presenting sponsors — CertaPro Painters of Germantown and Johnson Controls
- Golden Hour Sponsors — Bluff City Jaguar and Land Rover
- Aegean Blue Sponsors — Upchurch and Upchurch PA, Higginbotham Insurance, Baker Donelson and Firstsource Solutions
- Coral Tide Sponsors — nexAir, Elevate Patient Financial Solutions, Semmes Murphey Neurologic and Spine Institute, GuideStone and LightSpeed Moving and Storage
- Olive Grove Sponsors — Farmers Insurance, Orgill, Alston Construction, Wise Carter Child & Caraway, Canale Funeral Directors and Missy and Jim Rainer
- Framing Sponsor — Frame Corner
- Media Sponsor — WMC Action News 5
