Welcome signs will feature glasswork, sculpture by local artists

They didn’t get much notice, but the Salado Community Foundation is in the process of raising $25,000 for the construction of an artistic gateway sign for the southern entrance to Salado.

Tourism Department chairman Debbie Charbonneau learned that TXDOT will begin work on the gateway signs in either October or November.

In that time, she is spearheading the effort by the Salado Community Foundation to raise the additional $25,000 needed for the artistic work on the sign.

The basic sign, which will be 30 feet long and six feet high and have the engraved words “Welcome to Salado,” has been funded by the Village of Salado for $10,000. The Village also agreed to fund the northern sign for $10,000 as well.

The sign will be embellished with light features and a 12-foot tall Century Plant sculpture created by local artists from Coyoe Glass and Salado Glassworks.

The base of the Century Plant will be sculpted metal measuring six feet in diameter. The stalk will reach 12 feet in height with branches that feature lighted glass globes as the floral buds of the century plant.

Charbonneau showed a mock up of the proposed sign to Salado Rotary, which committed $500 to each sign over two years.

With this donation, the Salado Community Foundation has raised almost half of the funds necessary to pay for the southern sign. To date, the Foundation has secured more than $11,000 in donations from organizations, individuals and businesses, including these: Ladies Auxiliary, Tourism Council, Salado Rotary Club, Lauren and Debbie Charbonneau, Dale and Charlotte Douglass, Bryan and Eve Fritch, Hulda Horton, Drayton and Amy McLane III, Michael and Laura Novotny, Dick and Tommye Prater, Gene and Susan Terry, Jim and Carol Walls, Century 21 Bill Bartlett, Charlotte’s of Salado, Horizon Bank and Salado Village Voice.

If you would like to make a tax-deductible contribution to this effort, contact Charbonneau at 254-947-8634.