To the editor:

Thanks to the energy and talent of many, Newburyport's 19th Annual Wet Paint ¬­— Paint the Town Auction on Oct. 17 was an overwhelming success. Hosted by Friends for Peace, proceeds from this event will be used for the City of Newburyport's diversity initiatives, which promote inclusion, tolerance and diversity and end discrimination in our community.

Friends for Peace would like to extend its heartfelt appreciation to the Newburyport Five Cents Savings Bank for sponsoring the event, John McInnis of John McInnis Auctioneers for donating his talents for the evening, to Nicholson Hall for accommodating all of our needs and to Ruthy's Kitchen of Salem for doing a wonderful job with the food.

We would like to thank the artists who braved the wind and cold to create their works that day. The list includes: Audrey Bechler, B. J. Beck, Margaret Bernier, Alan Bull, Fran Butsavich, Melanie Christon, Ruth Coughlin, Mike Dorsey, Marina Forbes, Danielle Gauthier-McCarthy, Bob Gertz Sr., Patricia Grutchfield, Charlotte Huebner, Susan Jaworski-Stranc, Margery Jennings, Christine Molitor Johnson, Karen Jones, Rob Leanna, Marjet Lesk, Susan Luca, Pat Lutz, Sandy McDermott, Susan Orfant, Donna Osborne, Julia Purinton, Mary Pyche, Laura Roberts, Sam Scholz, Daniel J. Shaw, John Sheedy, Ellen Sklar, Susan Spellman, Susan Murray Stokes, Caleb Stone, Laura Elkins Stover, Janet Sutherland, Ellen Sullivan Taylor, Jacob Towle, Sandra Turner, Mary Ann Varoski and Richard Winmill.

We greatly appreciated the time that the volunteers took from their busy day to help support this cause; they include: Jan DeSantis, Judy Doble-Gregg, Donna Holaday, Patricia Ingalls, Dianna Lowry, Anne McGravey, Dale Nicholson, Kim Pugh, Elizabeth Rankin, Brenda Reffett, Donna Scott, Sheila Roney Taintor, Jeffrey Trencher, David Williams and Mary Williamson.

A special thank-you goes to Stephanie Williams and high school students Joe Keery and Shelby Steeves, who helped that night with the lighting, and also to the Stage Technology class from Newburyport High School who helped prepare the backdrop and table runners.

We especially would like to thank all who came to the event, enjoyed themselves and bid on great pieces of artwork. Thank you for your support. We hope that next year you and others will join us again!

Deborah Andrews

President, Friends for Peace and the Wet Paint Committee