In 2020, Cooper Creek Square teamed up with local artist and Uptripping owner, Shannon Foley Henn, to envision a colorful art installation that would capture our unique community and raise funds for our local charities. Today, we are happy to announce the first donation of funds raised by the Cooper Creek Creatures project. These monies will help each organization fulfill their missions.
All the money raised goes directly to three charities that were chosen by the tenants at Cooper Creek Square. Participants can choose from the three charities or divide their donation amongst all three. 100% of the proceeds go directly to the charities.
“We have raised over $7,000 and it’s growing every day. The creative response has been amazing. Seeing creatures doing a wide variety of things will add whimsy and fun to the mural. We even have a creature flying a drone,” says Stephanie Carey, Marketing Director at Cooper Creek Square.
Headwaters Trail Alliance – $3,185
“We will be putting these funds towards attending the International Trails Summit in Reno in April. It is being put on by American Trails and the Professional Trail Builders Association,” expressed Maire Sullivan with the HTA.
Grand Foundation – Brammer Family Fund – $2,510
This fund was established to provide financial assistance to Grand County residents and their families who are affected by cancer.
Middle Park Medical Foundation – $1,880
“We will dedicate this donation into our Middle Park Health Employee Assistance Fund, a fund that supports employees who fall on financial hard times due to unforeseen and uncontrollable circumstances that require an urgent need for financial assistance,” explained Andy Radzavich, Executive Director – Middle Park Medical Foundation.
The first phase of this project was to create a bright striped mural that spans the entirety of the first level of the building from Christy Sports to Devil’s Craft. The second phase was to incorporate “creatures” throughout the mural enjoying all that Winter Park has to offer. From hiking and biking to skiing and snowboarding and every activity in between; everyone in our community will have an opportunity to be depicted in this living story.
“When Charlie Johnson and Stephanie Carey approached me about a new mural in Cooper Creek, we knew we wanted it to be bright and fun, but we also wanted it to be more than just a mural” says Foley Henn. “We brainstormed on ways we could integrate the entire community and give back. It’s literally what Uptripping means to me, to leave a space, person, or place better than when you found it and give back while doing so. I am so thrilled to be able to “uptrip” the walls of Cooper Creek with these whimsical creatures. Adults and children alike are going to have so much fun finding themselves and their neighbors hidden throughout the painting outside the stores and restaurants. It’s like a living “Where’s Waldo” in which Waldo is all your friends!”
A Cooper Creek Creature is a simple line drawing of a person, family, or animal. They will be hand painted by Foley Henn based upon the description provided by the sponsor. We’ve created a website just for this endeavor, www.coopercreekcreatures.com, making it easy to create your own creature. Choose how many people you want in your story, give us a description of your favorite activities, ages and more. Foley Henn will use that description to create a simple line drawing to represent you or your family. The sponsor’s name will be written alongside their creature. Thanks to Gus Reynolds for his help in creating many of the creatures along with Shannon.
Visit www.coopercreekcreatures to create one for you and your family and help one of our local charities.
