Delhi Beautification Committee Supports Fire Hydrant Contest

This article was originally published in The Walton Reporter on 6/5/13. -------

Delhi Beautification Committee Supports Fire Hydrant Contest

By Cori O'Connor

 

DELHI —The Delhi Beautification Committee presented the Delaware Academy Art Club with a $150 check on May 29 to cover the $50 prizes for the first place winners in each category of the fire hydrant decorating contest.

The contest is organized by Delaware Academy high school art teacher and art club advisor Brian Rolfe and the project is a partnership between the art club and the beautification committee. Over 20 students and community members will participate in the contest this year and a total of nine hydrants will be painted, eight of which are being repainted from previous years. There are three categories which the designs will reflect: community pride, realistic/abstract, and under 14 years of age.



Members of the Delhi Beautification Committee and the Delaware Academy Art Club

gathered for a check presentation last week. Pictured are: Bob Henault, Don Harris,

Peg Baldwin, Brian Rolfe, Julia VanBuren, Michaela Mills, Sophie Nellies, Adie Hook,

Sophia Gimlik, Brian Hannigan and Stephanie Bishop. photo by Cori O’Connor/The Walton Reporter.

"We wanted to interact more with community and school rather than just having it be a school thing or a community thing and with our club it was easy to do that," Rolfe said. He then explained that by including community members in the art club project there's "a bridge to get to the community."The contest began on April 15 and participants have until June 7 to paint the hydrants, although they had to submit designs for approval by May 31. In the days following June 7, the hydrants will be rated by a panel of three judges: Shiela Ayres, member of the beautification committee, Delhi Mayor Richard Maxey and a third judge who is currently unknown. The judges won't know the names of the people who painted the hydrants, only their ages.

All of the hydrants being painted are on Main Street because the village wanted the club to maintain the hydrants lining the center of town. "It's easier in the long run because I won't have to manage as many," Rolfe said.

This year the village donated a fire hydrant to the art club. The club will auction it off at the Harvest Festival to raise money for field trips and events. The hydrant will be painted with a scene from the surrounding area and, according to Rolfe, the club doesn't know whether they will paint it or hire someone to do so. Rolfe hopes to have the finished hydrant on display at the last Fair on the Square on July 26.