Rain Barrel Auction Part Art, Part Conservation

Decorated barrels line the streets of LaGrange Road, Burlington Avenue and other streets in La Grange—but what are they doing there?

Organized by the La Grange Business Association, the barrels serve a dual purpose as a display of public art and as a way of conserving water for the community.

The LGBA will hold a silent and live auction for the barrels on Sept. 10 at the La Grange Village Hall, with proceeds benefiting La Grange's Pets & Pals Charities, which sponsors the village's annual pet parade. Money received from the sale of  barrels sponsored by other nonprofit organizations will be given back to those organizations.

The barrels can be used by buyers to store rainwater and use it later on lawns and gardens.

This is not the first summer La Grange has held art-inspired fundraisers. Past projects include integrating the arts with Adirondack chairs, elephants and animals to support the annual La Grange Pet Parade—a summer tradition in town for more than 60 years.

Charlene Vickery, the member of the LGBA board  instrumental in organizing the rain barrel project, said this year the board wanted to do something practical, that people could use.

"There's a real absence in our community with conservation," she said. "The rain barrels—being decorated with the idea of reusing it as a resource of water—was a perfect opportunity."

Vickery said the LGBA is trying to use the barrels as an education tool for people to understand how valuable and important it is to conserve water.

"With Lake Michigan [near us], it seems we'll have a never-ending supply," she said. "It's a really important thing to keep in mind."

The barrels are refurbished food-grade barrels with a spout near the bottom and a netted lid atop to bring in water and keep everything else out, such as trash and airborne debris.

Business owners purchased the barrel at $200 apiece in support of the program. They enlisted the help of local artists to decorate the barrels, such as father and son duo Mitch and Tim Reardon who decorated Barrel 61, which is sponsored by The Art Stop and Tim Reardon's Chef Joe's Cookies, both located at 23 S. La Grange Road.

The Art Stop has participated in past community projects. Owner Teresa Marrandino sees the project as a way of supporting the community in return for the support the community has given them.

"[The rainbarrels] are colorful, beautiful, noticeable and show talent," Marrandino said.

"The more people you get talking about the art, the more people who come to La Grange—it's better for the business and the community," she said.

Steve Palmer, co-owns Palmer Place, 56 S. LaGrange Road, with his brother, Phil, and was involved with organizing the project and purchased two barrels for the restaurant. One was designed with the Chicago Cubs and Chicago Blackhawks in mind, and the second, which Palmer said was designed by one of his servers, is titled "Garden Fiesta."

"She came up with a real beautiful piece," Palmer said.

The barrels are expected to be removed from the streets by Sept. 9 for artist touch-ups prior to the auction. Visit the LGBA Rainbarrels website for more information about the September auction.