The Star-Ledger on March 21, 2014
The Hopewell Valley Arts Council would like to thank the Rothwell family, the staff of Pennington Quality Market, Frank Flegeal and his Hopewell Valley Central High School (CHS) film students and the many performing and culinary artists who lent their time and energy to a celebration of art in the everyday last Saturday at PQM. The festive event introduced Olly the life-size fiberglass ox to many valley residents, and raised more than $6,000 for the arts council’s public art exhibit, the Stampede (“A stampede of creativity headed toward Hopewell — Art-awareness project calling on artists to decorate fiberglass oxen for auction,” Nov. 4, 2013).
Flash mobs sang and danced in the aisles and improvisational dancers roamed the store, while PQM staff demonstrated the culinary arts at sampling stations throughout the market.
Our gratitude to PQM staff who helped us plan and implement the event, the flower shop for Olly’s colorful garland, the market’s chefs who kept shoppers sated and the talents of Con Brio, the Hopewell Valley Chorus, the Hopewell Valley Youth Chorale, JigSaw Dance Company, the Marie Moore School of Irish Dance, Pennington Dance, Wayne Stockton Brown, CHS TV production crew, the Stampede committee, our local artists who volunteered as celebrity baggers, and all the shoppers and residents whose purchases supported the event.
Thanks to the continued support of our businesses, residents, schools and artists, more than 50 decorated fiberglass oxen will roam throughout the valley this summer.
— Betsy Ackerman and Randee Tengi,
Hopewell Township
The writers are co-chairwomen of the Hopewell Valley Arts Council (hvartscouncil.org).