Bear Statues Reel in Big Bucks

“Bearilyn Monroe,” wearing “bearly” a thing, raised more than $3,000 to help local residents.

Bearilyn was one of 33 painted bear statues in the Ban Bare Bears art project shown around town in June and sold to raise money for local mental health programs. Twenty-five of the bears were purchased during a June 25 auction at The Shops at Briargate; the other eight were purchased beforehand by their community sponsors.

The project raised about $60,000 for Pikes Peak Mental Health and Aspen Diversified Industries, programs of Pikes Peak Behavioral Health Group, which organized the event.

Fred Darpino’s “Catch of the Day” — a bear in chef garb holding a frying pan and three fish — received the highest bid of the evening, $3,700, and Terry Kole Hall’s “Bearilyn Monroe” — a bear in shiny mosaic dress a la “The Seven Year Itch” — received a bid of $3,200.

Many residents developed an affinity for the 6-foot-tall fiberglass bears when they were displayed around town during the “Tour de Bears.” And many were angered when a few bears were vandalized at Acacia Park after the ceremonial opening of the Uncle Wilber Fountain.

“The whole project was very cool,” said Cynthia Zupanec, communications manager for Pikes Peak Behavioral Health Group. “I had no idea when we started this project that people would respond to the bears the way they did. They loved them.”

Residents were asked to vote for their favorite bear on the Pikes Peak Behavioral Health Group’s Web site. Nearly 5,000 votes were received, and Valerie Fritz’s “Vincent Van Beargh” won the contest; Fritz was awarded a $500 prize.

Photos of the project have been compiled in a coffee-table book, “Ban Bare Bears: A Community Arts Project Sponsored by the Pikes Peak Mental Health Group,” and can be purchased for $20 through Pikes Peak Mental Health Group by calling 572-6107.