To celebrate the success of the first-ever Los Gatos Art Cat Project, a special reception was held Nov. 13 to pay tribute to the project's committee members and dole out a portion of the proceeds to benefit local organizations.

The Art Cat Project began last April, headed by arts commissioner Valerie Hopkins and a team of supporters that included Noreen Christopher, Joanne Johnson, Youwanda Dreger, Marcie Tjader, Laura Harris, Marilyn Dorsey, and Teri Hope. The team had 50 cats made, which were sponsored by local businesses for $500 each and voluntarily decorated by local artists. After sitting throughout town for several months, the cats were collected for a very popular auction at the Sept. 6 bandstand celebration.

Los Gatos Arts Commission Chairwoman Teri Hope led the reception ceremony, which kicked off with a buffet and ended with nine benefactors happily receiving checks from the Art Cat funds.

"This was a huge collaboration in the community. It was a magical thing," Hope said. "And how did we come up with nine projects to donate to? Well, all cats do have nine lives."

The Los Gatos Arts Commission took the largest portion home, with $10,000 donated for a public art project. As the upcoming new arts chairwoman, Joanne Johnson received the check, explaining that the money will be used to help attract a new piece of art for the town. Possibilities include a piece of sculpture for the civic center lawn or a mural in the downtown area.

The Los Gatos Art Association, Los Gatos Union School District, and Los Gatos High School Theater Improvement Project all received $5,000.

For Los Gatos elementary schools, the money will be used for a series of jazz workshops sponsored by the San Jose Jazz Society. The weeklong workshops are held for fourth-grade students to inform them about jazz music, improvisation, and the importance of being drug free. Students also get the chance to see a jazz quintet perform. "It's to help them see that there is something other than hip-hop or rap," said Charles Parchment of the jazz society. "Our goal is to get every child in the district to play an instrument ... at least a recorder."

The Los Gatos Art Association will be using the money for a plein-air project, which is a French term for painting out in the open air. Traditionally completed in one day, this type of project requires quick work and a great deal of artistic cooperation.

Nearing their deadline to raise enough money for the first phase of construction, TIP representatives Diana Pleasant and Diana Patrick were quite happy to be given $5,000.

Other benefactors included the Town of Los Gatos, which received $2,500 for its banner project, the Los Gatos Community Foundation, which received $2,500 for its art scholarship program, and the Humane Society, which was given $2,500 for its feline care program. The Los Gatos CineCat Film Project was given $1,000, as was the Forbes Mill Footbridge for restoration of on-site children's art murals.

Former Mayor Sandy Decker was honored by a standing ovation as she closed out the evening with an impressive two-page proclamation for the project.

Decker acknowledged that she originally thought of the Art Cat idea, but took no credit for its success. "There was no 'me' here at all. I had the idea, but nothing happens without a group to get it done," she said. "This was such an exciting project. It wasn't easy to get this thing off the ground, but it was a joy, an absolute joy."