The small towns in our region take pride in their public libraries the same way small towns in Texas take pride in their high-school football teams. So it’s not surprising that library fundraisers often resemble spirited pep rallies. There was no shortage of hometown chauvinism in Falls Village, CT, on Saturday night at the silent auction benefit for the 110-year-old David M. Hunt Library, the heart and soul of the second-smallest town in the state. The town's bibliophiles gathered at the old Town Hall for the auction and cocktail party, where the bidding was fierce, the laughter was loud, and the bonhomie was contagious.
Auction co-chair Sharon Hamilton, who works at Sweet William's Bakery in Salisbury, with past co-chair Zoë Fedorjaczenko; playwright Lonnie Carter with artist Sarah Charlesworth and his daughter Callie Carter.
Housatonic Valley Regional High School teacher Vance Cannon and Millerton veterinarian Carrie Cannon; Annie & Greg Bidou, the proprietors of Toymaker's Cafe.
Interior designer and garden doyenne Bunny Williams with her head gardener, Eric Ruquist.
Former Falls Village residents Robin & Allen Cockerline, who raise grass-fed beef at Whippoorwill Farm in Salisbury; Housatonic Valley Regional High School teacher Alan Lovejoywith his wife, Jenny Law, who teaches at Salisbury Central School.
Town Clerk Mary Palmer with author and actress Betsy Howie.
Northwest Connecticut Arts Council executive director Amy Wynn with private art dealers Marc Rosen & Susan Pinsky. Sweet William's baker Jason Young with Noelle LaMunierre and her daughter Julia McElroy.
Graphic designers William Drenttel & Jessica Helfand, the founders of the influential Design Observer blog, who run Winterhouse Studio from their home in Falls Village.
Cinematographer Evan Estern and toy designer Dominick Caiati; Gail Allyn with Pariwat Limtrakul, an AFS student from Thailand who is spending the year with the Allyns.
Composer Joshua Stone and Lindsay Ruppel; Ralph Williams, Brent Peel and Joey Leggett.
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Matteline deVries-Dilling, founder of Lite Brite Neon, one of the evening's honoree of this year's Upstate Benefit adresses the gala from the Caboose's caboose.
- Karen Pearson. Courtesy Art Omi.
Olana senior vice president and landscape curatorMark Prezorski, president Sean Sawyer, The evenings honoree Kristin Gamble and New York State Assemblymember Didi Barrett.
- Oxygen House Photo
