The Morro Bay 50th Celebration Community Committee recently donated $4,400 to the Central Coast Women for Fisheries for its “Fishermen’s Family Sculpture” dedicated to “Those Who Wait” public statue, to be erected near Target Rock overlooking the harbor entrance.
CCWF has been raising money for some seven years for the project that commemorates the families of commercial fishermen and would be the only one of its kind on the West Coast (a similar project was built in Gloucester, Mass.)
And through a yearlong partnership with the 50th Committee CCWF added a total of more than $7,000 to its statue fund. That was enough to put the project over the top in fundraising.
The 50th Committee made it a goal to fund the project and to erect it to also honor the City’s 50th Anniversary of incorporation, which was in July 2014.
Project leader Susan Maharry said they’ve raised more than $100,000 so far and feel confident they have enough to install the artwork. The City Planning Commission was slated to hear the project Sept. 1, she said, and they still have to get a permit from the Coastal Commission, hearing date TBA.
According to CCWF’s website (see: www.womenforfish.org) the artwork will go on a concrete pad and consists of three life-sized bronze statues — a waving mother holding a baby, a little girl standing at her side and a boy sitting on a rock fishing. World-renowned sculptress, Elizabeth MacQueen (see: www.macqueenfineart.com) was commissioned to design and cast the sculptures. The bronzes were delivered months ago and are being stored in a warehouse, mummy-wrapped in bubble wrap to protect them.
CCWF is still seeking donations for the future maintenance of the sculpture and will have a booth selling tuna salad-stuffed avocados at the upcoming Avocado/ Margarita Festival, set for Saturday-Sunday, Sept. 12-13 on the Embarcadero.
And for a $200 donation, CCWF will ensure that your name, your business’ name, or the name of a loved one (your choice), will be permanently acknowledged at the sculpture location as a sponsor of the project.
“The 50th committee is grateful to the hundreds of community volunteers and the generous support of sponsors that helped make the year so special,” said Joan Solu, chair of the 50th Committee.
Call Maharry at (805) 801-8480 with questions about donating. See: www.womenforfish.org for information about the group and this as well as other projects. Submitted photo
