Artists reception tonight

A $300 cash prize will be awarded tonight, June 5, at the H'Art of the Palouse Banner artists reception at 7 p.m. in the Colfax Library. This is the second year a cash award is being offered for the top adult banner. The winner was selected by a jury of local artists last weekend and will be announced at the reception. The award is in addition to the annual People's Choice Awards for the favorite adult and youth banners selected by a vote of the public.

The cash award is donated by Dick and Pauline Gebhardt of Colfax. Gebhardt disqualified his own banner from the award competition. Gebhardt, a member of the Colfax Arts Council, came up with the idea for the banner competition after seeing a similar type of competition in southern California. The Arts Council tweaked the competition idea to fit Colfax and has now run the competition for seven years.

Also to be awarded at the reception are the adult and youth People's Choice Awards. Two of the sites for voting had run out of ballots by Saturday and were promptly restocked. Residents have until tonight, just prior to the reception, to vote. A voting "paint bucket" will also be available at the entrance to the reception for last-minute voters. There is also still time for donations to the People's Choice Award, gifts or cash, at City Hall and at the library.

Artists to be honored are Betina Workman, Carol Gay, Dick Gebhardt, Jerry Jones, Matthew Wysack and Brianna Reynolds, adults from Colfax; adults Sara Yates of LaCrosse, and Kellie Berntgen of Oakesdale and youth Eden Workman of Colfax.