Habitat for Humanity is a non-profit organization that is best known for its practical mission to put roofs over families' heads. This Friday, Sept 10, however, Habitat will celebrate its creative side as it hosts its annual “ART for HOMES” auction at Elkin's Habitat Home Shoppe.

ART for HOMES, now in its third year, encourages both professional and aspiring artists to redesign or reconstruct any piece of Habitat furniture under $50. The program not only allows people to flex their creative muscles, but also to become more involved in Habitat for Humanity.

“Some people support Habitat with a hammer, some with a check and others with a paintbrush and a hot glue gun,” said Upper Yadkin Valley Habitat for Humanity Executive Director Claire Sellars.

Sellars believes the biggest objective of ART for HOMES is to bind together the talents of people from many backgrounds in helping to accomplish the overall goal of Habitat for Humanity.

“Habitat is based on the belief that everyone deserves a good house in a decent community. While our long-range goal is to eliminate substandard housing from the Upper Yadkin Valley, (ART for HOMES) is another way that people can become involved.”

Sellars also invites the entire community to attend the ART for HOMES auction this Friday to get involved with Habitat in their own way. As in past years, this year's celebration will feature musical entertainment and hors d'oeurvres while the auction takes place. All proceeds raised from the auctioned ART for HOMES furniture will benefit Habitat for Humanity.

The auction is also a window to the whimsy and creativity of Elkin's best professional and amateur artists.

“Anyone is invited to transform an object from the functional to the fantastic. All kinds of stuff shows up and you never know what to expect,” said Sellars.

Among some of Sellars's favorite contributions to the ART for HOMES auction in years past include: a seatless chair turned planter's box in honor of a relative of the artist; a luggage trunk made into a coffee table by an artist who had personally benefited from a Habitat home; and – perhaps for the award of most imaginative – a multi-colored, hand-tiled wine cooler made from (what else but) a toilet.

Sellars expects this year's ART of HOMES submissions to be just as eye-catching. Several newly-decorated pieces are already lining the window of the Habitat Home Shoppe and are currently up for auction. The auction will close at 8:30 p.m. on Friday night with the items being distributed shortly before 9 p.m.

Habitat's ART for HOMES celebration will open to the public at 7 p.m., Friday, Sept. 10.

For more information, call the Habitat Home Shoppe at 526-4663 or 526-2277, or visit the Upper Yadkin Valley's Habitat for Humanity website at www.uyvhabitat.org.