State fairgoers vote for winners in rain barrel painting contest
The first-place winners in this year’s rain barrel painting contest were announced July 30 at the Delaware State Fair by Gov. Jack Markell, DNREC Secretary David Small and DNREC Division of Watershed Stewardship Director Frank Piorko.
Fairgoers had the opportunity to view the top five finalists’ painted barrels on display in the DNREC Building at the fair, and to vote until the July 28 deadline for their favorites.
The first-place barrel winner in the youth contest is "Ocean Beauty,” painted by the Zakat Foundation Water Miners - Mirac Kekik, Nur Kose, Furkan Kose, Yusuf Kose, Merve Kekik, Sa'ad, Ali Khan, Yusuf Patel, Aarib Syed, Aadil Syed, Hana Hubert, Yousuf Ahmed, Adeeba Allimulla, Huda Kose and Ruhi Khan.
The other four finalists are:
- “Let Learning Bloom,” by Kassidy Bahel, Caden Emerson, Kimora Sample, Michael Greco Jr. and Prabnor Singh of Towne Point Elementary School, teacher Christy Tapert.
- “Rainfalls mmm-Fresh!” by Oliver Menard, Joshua Menard, Lida Gannon, Leslie Webb, Garrett Geidel and Brenna Geidel of Peach Blossom 4-H Club, club leader Jennifer Menard.
- “A Fine Day on Wagamons Pond,” by May Dillard, Molly Mendes, Shane Lammey, Kelly Bragg, Samantha Connors, Marina Santini and Elle Anderson of Milton Elementary School, teacher Sandra Allen.
- “Farmers,” by Samuel Wells of Eagle's Nest Christian Academy, teacher Robyn Stanton.
Also recognized were the grand prize winners in the adult rain barrel painting contest, Debbie Hegedus and Rowena Macleod. Their barrel, “Egret/Deer & Water: The Interconnectedness of All Living Things,” focuses on the dependence of all forms of life on water, with the goal of spurring action to conserve and protect the earth's precious water supply. Both artists are longtime art teachers from northern Delaware, and their barrel is on display and in use at Woodburn, the governor’s residence in Dover.
Other barrels by the artists cited below can be seen at the locations that follow the titles of their work:
Kathi Schiavoni, “Scattering Wishes” - Helen F. Graham Cancer Center & Research Institute, Radiation Department, Christiana
Stephanie Przybylek (finalist), “Water World” - Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Milton
Darla Blaesing, “Rain Barrel Pleas for Our Seas” - Sanford School, Hockessin
Kim Littleton, “Preserving Delaware Beaches” - Delaware Watersheds Annual Facebook Giveaway contest (Spring 2016)
Gerilyn Gaskill, “Go to the Delaware Shore” - The Center for the Inland Bays, Rehoboth Beach, Decked Out event silent auction item
Barbara Ann Aro, “The Sunflower” - Brandywine State Park, Wilmington
Connie Newby (finalist), “Bringhurst Woods Along Shellpot Creek” - Brandywine State Park, Wilmington
Yolanda Chetwynd, “Water Is Life Kenya” - Water Is Life Kenya, Newark
Monika Bullette, “Sentinel” - Cape Henlopen State Park, Seaside Nature Center, Lewes
Tina Walls, “Down Under” - East Coast Garden Center, Millsboro
Laura Finamore, “Natural Resources Are Easy to Take for Granted” - Blades Town Hall
Bruce McKinney (finalist), “The Dog” - Mt. Olivet United Methodist Church, Seaford
Natalie Wipf, “Fireflies at Dusk” - Delaware Agricultural Museum and Village, Dover
Amber Davis, “Mountain-scape Daydream” - Dover Public Library
Finalist Nancy Poinsett, “Rainwater - Nature’s Priceless Collectible” - Milford Public Library.
For more information about the rain barrel painting contests, including photos of the entries, go to http://delawarewatersheds.org/2015-rain-barrel-contest/. For more information on the contests, contact Sara Wozniak at sara.wozniak@state.de.us or 302-382-0335.
DNREC sponsored the two rain barrel painting contests to educate the community on the benefits of using rain barrels to reduce rainwater runoff and improve water quality. Fourteen youth participants and 16 adult participants were chosen for the contests based on their applications, design ideas and site placements. Individuals or groups chosen each received a fully assembled, primed 55-gallon plastic barrel, topcoat and bubble wrap; they supplied their own paint, brushes and other materials or tools. They then had five weeks to finish their artistry and submit final photographs and information, as well as a short biography.
For more information about the rain barrel painting contests, including photos of the entries, go to delawarewatersheds.org/2015-rain-barrel-contest. For more information on the contests, contact Sharon Webb at sharon.webb@state.de.us or 302-739-9922.
What is a rain barrel?
A rain barrel is a container that collects and stores water from roofs and downspouts for future uses such as watering lawns, garden, and house plants; cleaning off gardening tools; and washing cars. Rain barrels help lower water bills, particularly in the summer months, by collecting thousands of gallons of water a year. Rain barrels are also important for the environment because they help reduce water pollution by decreasing the amount of stormwater runoff reaching streams and rivers.
An average rainfall of one inch within a 24-hour period can produce more than 700 gallons of water runoff from a typical house. This stormwater runoff picks up anything on the ground such as litter, excess fertilizer, pet waste and motor oil, transporting it to storm drains that dump the untreated water directly into area waterways.
