COLORFUL CRANES
		First 15 sponsors announced for project KEARNEY - The first flock of fine fowls fated to festoon Kearney were welcomed with a flourish on Thursday. Organizers, artists and sponsors of the Cranes on Parade project announced the first 15 designs to have sponsorships during a reception at Kearney's Country Inn and Suites. At the "crane mating," Kearney Dawn Rotary member Karl Borden introduced the artists to the business people who are paying for the artwork to be reproduced on 6-foot fiberglass cranes.
Hub photo by Brad Norton Kim Meister of Kearney looks over some of the Cranes On Parade ideas sent in by artists for the project.
By JAN THOMPSON Hub Staff Writer

The cranes will be displayed by sponsors during the spring migration of the real sandhill cranes and then will be auctioned in October 2003. Money raised through the sponsorships, auction and related activities will benefit international and local charities and organizations.
"It's the first of what we hope will be many parades of cranes in Kearney," Borden said before pairing artists and sponsors.

To sponsor a crane, a business or individual pays $1,850 for a full sponsorship, $2,500 for a gold sponsorship or $3,300 for a platinum sponsorship. More expensive sponsorships come with extras, including a limited edition bronze crane sculpture that will be given to platinum sponsors.

The sculptures are small versions of a 6-foot fiberglass statue designed by Martha Pettigrew of Kearney. Pat Jones, who leads the project's artistic review committee, said about 50 proposals for crane designs were received by the Oct. 1 deadline, though entries still are coming in. The entries were juried by a panel of Kearney-area artists who have decided not to do crane proposals.

Jones said the jury picked the top designs and began showing them to sponsors.

The 15 designs unveiled Thursday, Jones said, are only the first flock in the Parade of Cranes. She anticipates announcing more artists and sponsors in coming weeks.

The first 15 birds, their artists and sponsors are:

• "Buffalo Bird," by Mark Adams. Sponsored by USA Cos.
• "Business as Usual," by Jennifer Homan. Sponsored by Homan Families.
• "Carousel Crane," by Gary Zaruba. Sponsored by Task Lighting and Heartland Hosting, LLC.
• "Crane Voices," by Art Pierce. Sponsored by Morris Press.
• "Crane'Berry & Apple Pie," by Kim Meister. Sponsored by Country Inn and Suites.
• "Flower Power," by Martha Pettigrew. Sponsored by Kearney Floral and Cash-Wa Distributing of Kearney Inc.
• "Fossil in Evolution," by Roberto Gutierrez. Sponsored by Kearney Bone & Joint Clinic.
• "Kearney History Crane," by Brad Norton. Sponsored by the Kearney Hub.
• "Kaleidoscopic Crane," by David Wiebe. Sponsored by McDermott & Miller.
• "Platte River Messenger," by Mary Ruff. Sponsored by the Kearney Visitor's Bureau.
• "Mandala-Magic," by Pat Jones. Sponsored by the Kearney Noon Rotary Club.
• "Roots of Nebraska," by Celeste Schulte and produced by Kearney High School's three-dimensional design class. Sponsored by Contemporary OB/GYN.
• "Spotted Crane," by Bob Coonts. Sponsored anonymously.
• "Take Five," by Jan Smolik. Sponsored by Yellow Van.
• "U-Crane," by Greg Holdren. Sponsored by Good Samaritan Hospital.