The home of Shippensburg residents Mickey and Phyllis Nye was bustling with people and music on Aug. 10. The Nye residence was host to the Shippensburg Arts Programming Education Gallery’s first annual Summer Garden Soirée, a fundraising event focused on enriching and showcasing the art community in Shippensburg.

The event took place in the evening by the Nyes’ pool with live music, a silent auction, an open bar and hor d’oeuvres.

Guests ranged from various community members, George “Jody” Harpster, interim president of Shippensburg University, professor Paris Peet of the music and theater arts department at SU, Scott Brown, executive director of the Shippensburg Area Chamber of Commerce and Bruce Hockersmith, mayor of Shippensburg and his wife, Janice.

The silent auction included many works of art on display from members of the community which varied between photographs and paintings. Door prizes were also offered, including T-shirts and gift cards to restaurants and grocery stores.

In between door prize winners, the guests spent their time enjoying the open bar and socializing with the many members of the community while enjoying the many forms of entertainment that were offered.

Entertainment included local musicians Rachel Longacre, Ray Cressler and recording artist Nick Staver. SU theater minors Carissa Strohecker and Brittany Torez-Alvarez were also in attendance. They led a game of Simon Says, poetry reading and took pictures of guests wearing many hats and masks that they brought with them.

Later in the night, they wrote a poem with some guests that was later shared by Paris Peet.
At the end of the night the winners of the silent auction were announced. Peet also held an auction for a one-week stay at a vacation home on Rehoboth Beach, DE.

The auction night came to an end, leaving the SHAPE gallery with a successful inaugural event, hopefully leading more in the future.

For more information on the SHAPE Gallery and upcoming exhibits, check out http://www.shapeart.org/

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