Jayhawk sculpture paraded on eBay

United Way of Douglas County is putting a 900-pound chip off the old block up for grabs.

A unique Jayhawk sculpture — “Chip Off the Old Hawk” — will be auctioned on eBay through Sept. 10 with proceeds going to the 2003-2004 United Way campaign.

“I’d love to see it stay in Lawrence,” said Colleen Gregoire, campaign and communications manager for United Way.

The statue, which is decorated with mosaic tile, is part of the Jayhawks on Parade flock of 30 renditions of the popular Kansas University mascot. They’ve been displayed throughout Lawrence since April, a project developed by the Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Artists were paid $1,000 to put a personal stamp on the 5-foot-tall birds. Businesses provided $4,500 to sponsor each bird. Many of the Jayhawks are destined for donation to charity.

The Jayhawk to be sold on eBay was a gift to United Way by Coldwell Banker/McGrew Real Estate, 15th Street and Kasold Drive. It’s proven to be a popular piece of lawn art for the residential real-estate sales company.

Gary Nuzum, president and managing broker, said hundreds of people had stopped outside the Coldwell Banker/McGrew office to take pictures.

“The grass is totally worn down around the Jayhawk,” he said.

Nuzum said he also would prefer this Jayhawk remain in Lawrence. It’s possible his company will make a run at retaining the statue.

“We’re going to watch the bidding,” Nuzum said. “It’s a great bird.”

Gregoire said it would be nice to sell the Jayhawk for at least $4,500, but she didn’t have an estimate how high bidding might go.

The fiberglass sculpture was designed by KU graduates Susie Lawler and Pat Woelk. It’s 5 feet tall and 4 feet wide. The surface is decorated with tiles, beads, pictures and dozens of items that reflect life in Kansas and at KU.

“It’s kind of a history of Lawrence and KU on this bird,” Nuzum said.

A link to the online auction site will be available at www.unitedwaydgco.org/jayhawkauction.

¢video 6News video: ‘Hawk sculpture auctioned online¢Join the bidding on eBay¢Jayhawks on Parade¢Letter: Hawks parade¢videoHawks on Parade photo gallery¢videoJohn Brown Hawk photo gallery

The winning bidder will be formally announced at the United Way campaign kickoff event Sept. 17.

“Chip Off the Old Block” must remain on display at Coldwell Banker/McGrew until November. Gregoire said moving the statute to a new location would be the responsibility of the buyer. It would fit well in an office lobby, she said.

“For preservation, I think it would be best for it to be indoors,” she said.

These Jayhawks on Parade statues will be sold to benefit nonprofit organizations, according to the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce. The list includes each statue’s display location.¢ “Chip Off the Old Hawk,” 1501 Kasold Drive — United Way of Douglas County will auction Chip on eBay until Sept. 10. The winner will be revealed Sept. 17. For information, call 843-6626 or visit www.unitedwaydgco.org/jayhawkauction.¢ “Hawk of the Arts,” Lawrence Visitor Center, 402 N. Second St. — Lawrence Education Achievement Partners is selling chances to win this Jayhawk in a drawing Sept. 22. For information, call 832-5000.¢ “Puttin’ On the Glitz,” Allen Fieldhouse, Kansas University — The Williams Fund will sell the Jayhawk to the first person offering $4,500.¢ “Patchwork Hawk,” 600 block of Massachusetts Street– The Lawrence Humane Society will sell this Jayhawk during its Pawsible Dream Auction Sept. 26 at Liberty Hall, 642 Mass. For information, call 843-6835.¢ “Jayhawk as a Cow on Parade,” 800 block of Massachusetts Street — The Shelter Inc. will sell the Jayhawk during a holiday season fund-raising event, Festival of Trees. Dates for this year’s festival have not been set yet. For information, call 843-2085.¢ “Peacock on Parade,” Lawrence Arts Center, 940 N.H. — This Jayhawk will be auctioned by the Lawrence Arts Center in April 2004 during its annual auction. For information, call 843-2787.¢ “Abstr-hawk-tion,” 23rd and Iowa streets — Community Learning Opportunities plans a fall auction of this Jayhawk for the benefit of CLO’s early childhood autism program. For information, call 865-5520.Other Jayhawk sculptures pledged to benefit nonprofit organizations:¢ “The Marvelous Mosaic Floral,” 900 block of Massachusetts Street — Habitat for Humanity.¢ “Gogh Hawks Gogh!,” 1100 block of Massachusetts Street — Van Go Mobile Arts.¢ “Rock Chalk Jayhawk Kubism,” 700 block of Massachusetts Street — Tenants to Homeowners.¢ “Heroic Hawk,” Hallmark Cards, 101 McDonald Drive — Ballard Community Center.¢ “A Hawk with a View,” Hereford House, 4931 W. Sixth St. — Cottonwood Inc.¢ “Holy Hawk,” Murphy Hall, KU campus, 15th Street and Naismith Drive — Women’s Transitional Care Services.¢ “Lions and Tigers and Hawks, Oh My!,” Hilltop Child Development Center, KU campus — Hilltop Child Development Center.¢ “Classic Jayhawk,” Kansas Union, KU campus — Kansas University Memorial Unions.¢ “So Many Faces, But One Heart that Bleeds Crimson and Blue,” KU Visitors Center, 1502 Iowa — KU Visitors Center.¢ “Mardi Gras on the Kaw Hawk,” Lied Center, KU west campus — Lied Center of Kansas.¢ “The Shamrock Hawk,” 2701 W. Sixth St. — Douglas County Infant-Toddler Coordinating Council.