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By Kristin Wilson, July 3, 2004

Last updated: Monday, July 5, 2004 3:32 PM EDT

A night of high glam and even higher rollers brought in nearly $300,000 to benefit the arts and south-central Pennsylvania non-profit charities as part of the CowParade grand finale auction June 26 at the State Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg.

The event and the entire CowParade show was a smash success, considering Harrisburg's size, says Jerry Elbaum, president of CowParade Holdings Corp., which has orchestrated 23 shows worldwide.

"This is one of the smallest cities we've been in," he says. But, "this is really pretty much at the top of the heap."

The average cow up for auction brought $5,000. Elbaum says in most shows his company sees an average of $8,000, but explains those are in much larger cities.

"This city really has gotten behind CowParade," he says. "I can be really proud of this area. The art is really great."

To date, the CowParade event, including sponsorship, the auction and silent auction, grossed $502,350. After expenses are taken out, proceeds will go to support the Whitaker Center and more than 40 other nonprofit organizations in the area.

"I couldn't be happier," says Byron Quann, president and CEO of the Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts. "We were excited to do it. The community was excited, now there's like a fevered pitch. I'd rather leave with people wanting more, rather than people saying, 'Oh, those cows, I'm sick of them.'"

$300,000 raised

The auction raised nearly $300,000. Proceeds will go to benefit the Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts and more than 40 other nonprofit organizations in south-central Pennsylvania.

The moood in the auction arena was anything but subdued. Bidders and crowd members cheered for each cow on the auction block and cows that brought a particularly handsome sum received applause.

High bid was $26,000

The highest bid of the night went to "Byzantine Bovine," purchased by Richard and Alice Angino of Harrisburg for $26,000. Artist Elizabeth Pellegrini covered the cow with hand-cut glass tiles.

Nelson Page Aspen of West Chester walked away from the auction with two cows, including "Violet Oakleaf" — a take on Violet Oakley's murals, for $11,000.

The cows in Carlisle from March until late June also fetched a fair price. The Sentinel's "Carly," displayed in front of the new courthouse building on The Square, brought $5,000 as did "Mootivational Cow."

Justine and Dan Monken of Boiling Springs said they hoped "Carly" would stay in Carlisle.

"But I don't think we'll be doing any bidding," Dan Monken adds. "Justine's been following all these cows and it was her idea to come over here."

"It's a great way to support the arts," Justine Monken says.

Harry Banzhoff of Camp Hill turned out to be the successful bidder on The Sentinel's cow.

"I like the cow," he said, adding he has "no idea" what he's going to do with it.

Duncannon desire

Jay and Susan Grubb of Duncannon had hopes of bringing a "mini-cow" to their town. "We didn't have a cow in Duncannon," Susan Grubb said. They planned to do some bidding Saturday in an effort to add an artistic cow to their small farm of real cows.

Susan Grubb said she visited all the cows spread across Harrisburg, Carlisle, Gettysburg, Hershey and New Cumberland.

"I've had pictures of all of them. We had fun running around getting pictures," she says.

Nelson Page and Joyce Aspen traveled from West Chester, with their eye on at least one cow.

"I've picked mine out," said Joyce Aspen, standing in a make-shift cattle corral at the auction. "I have to have number seven. I have a perfect place for it."

A cow for the yard

The Aspens came in part to support their friends and neighbors state Sen. Robert Thompson, R-19, and his artist wife Nancy Thompson. The number seven cow — "Violet Oakleaf" — did go to the Aspens, for $11,000.

"It'll be in the backyard," Nelson Aspen says. Someday, he adds, they might donate it to the local Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA).

Later the couple also bid successfully on "Revolutionary War Cow" — a cow painted in historically accurate Revolutionary War "blues."

Joyce Aspen said the "Red Hat Society" from West Chester spent a day touring the Harrisburg area, specifically to check out the CowParade. "Every single cow is fantastic," she said.

Russ Brock, a Whitaker Center volunteer, said the response to CowParade was "amazing."

"I work at the information desk and people were always coming in looking for the map of where the cows were located. It gets people familiar with downtown Harrisburg."

Frank and Diana Miles of Etters left the auction as proud owners of "Udderly Hexed" — a cow covered in folk art motifs.

"I told her that this was her birthday present," said Frank Miles, hugging his wife.

"It's going to be the only cow on our horse farm," Diana Miles adds. "We're going to display it so a lot of people can enjoy it."

Greenwood cow on 'Net

Although Saturday's gala wrapped up the majority of the CowParade event, there is still an Internet auction going on.

"Cowopatra," by Danielle L. Shumaker, is one of the cows in the Internet auction. Shumaker was a sophomore at Greenwood High School when her design was selected for the CowParade.

She also received a $1,000 scholarship. Only 12 students in the region were selected to create cows.

For most of July, more than 20 CowParade cows will be up for sale on the auction website:

www.CowParadeAuction.net.