MISSION ACCOMPLISHED
The entire $5,500 to keep the Cow-Bear in Los Osos/Baywood Park was raised by March 8, 2017. Money raised will go to over 40 local charities, including Peoples’ Self Help Housing, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Woods Humane Society, Grizzly Academy, Foodbank Coalition, SLO Land Con-servancy, and Arts Obispo.
Donations came from the GoFundMe campaign as well as donations sent directly to Celebrate Los Osos, and contributions in donation jars at Los Osos Valley Nursery and Volumes of Pleasure Bookshop. After the International CowparadeSLO is over, the Cow-Bear may be found in various places around town. Special thanks to Visit Los Osos Baywood Park, Los Osos Baywood Park Chamber of Commerce, Los Osos Valley Nursery, Volumes of Pleasure Bookshop, CowBear fabri-cators David and Kyle Doust, and the over 176 people who contributed.
Help us keep our "cow-bear" from going to auction!
Los Osos/Baywood has the world's only "cow-bear", a delightfully whimsical piece of public art currently residing near the pier in Baywood Park. But, we only have her only until spring when she is scheduled to go to auction where she will be sold to the highest bidder and moved to...well, somewhere else!
But wait, what community or winery or shopping center or car dealership has a historical reason to own a wiggy piece of public art that includes diary farming, ranching, gizzly bears, monarch butterflies, Golden poppies and stands on a paddleboard next to the bay? No one but us!
That's why Celebrate Los Osos, a local non-profit that does community benefit projects utilizing volunteers, is launching a campaign to help raise enough money to keep her home -- permanently.
Our cow-bear's name is, "Udderly Osos." She is part of Cow-Parade SLO which is showcasing 101 (for Highway 101) life-size, 120-pound, fiberglass works of art.
Over 75 cities and 200 million people worldwide have participated in CowParade, the world's largest public art exhibit.
How'd this come about?
Visit Los Osos•Baywood Park, a small local Business Improvement Distrist group sponsored our cow for $7000, and selected local artists Dave and Kyle Doust to transform her into the world's only cow-bear. Part of the funds paid went to ArtsObispo, a non-profit group advancing the arts in SLO County; part to the international group and part went to the artists who spent the summer creating her.
But unless we raise enough money to keep her, she will go to auction in the spring and we lose her.
Why keep her?
"Udderly Osos" is fast becoming the most visited sight in Los Osos. Since she was installed in Baywood she has grown in popularity with visitors, locals and school age kids love her. She characterizes the kind of unique zaniness of our community enjoys.
How much do we need and why?
To keep her, we must raise $5,500. The CowParade organizers require $3,500 to prevent her from going to auction. This money will go to charity. The balance will be held for future maintenance expenses and repair costs.
Keeping our cow-bear in Los Osos is just the kind of project our community thrives upon.
Deadline?
The funds need to be raised on or before March 15.
Please join us in keeping our cow-bear — home. There will be a permanent plaque placed near "Udderly Osos" with the names and levels of the contributors.
- $5 Bovinity
- $10 Moooo-arvelous
- $25 Cownt-on-you
- $50 Udderly Generous
- $100 Moooo-nificent
- $500 Moooo-ver & Shaker
- $1,000 Udderly Bearish
Donations can be made by clicking on GoFundMe or using the QR code below.
When we're successful we will have bragging rights of being the proud home of the world's only cow-bear!