Legion’s silent art auction to benefit hack restoration

Owatonna American Legion Post 77 is auctioning off several pieces of artwork, made by former Owatonna resident Al Smith, during November to raise money for the restoration of the Post’s Hack.

The Hack is the Post’s antique parade vehicle.

It dates back to 1926, said Drew Joenks, the Post vice commander, when members mounted an old horse-drawn hack body, originally from a local livery stable, onto a Model T Ford chassis. The original hack body was from the late 1800s.

The vehicle became a well-known feature of parades and local events, Joenks said, but has been idled for the past decade because of needed repairs. Post members have been working on getting the Hack ready for a return to active duty and it is now up and running, he said, but it still needs significant body work. It made appearances this summer during the First Thursday activities in downtown Owatonna.

Legion members are holding the silent auction this month to raise additional funds to finance the ongoing body and mechanical maintenance work on the vehicle. The original Hack body, he said, is made of wood and is still in need of work. Both the wood body and the Model T engine and chassis are well over 100 years old, he said.

Many of the pencil drawings that Smith has done have been related to World War II and the Vienam War. He donated a number of those drawings to Post 77, and they have now been framed and are on display the at the Post.

Before he and his wife moved to northern Minnesota earlier this year, he donated an additional six drawings to the Post. Joenks said the Post contacted Smith and asked if he would he would be okay if they offered the last six unframed drawings to the public to raise funds for the restoration of the Hack. Joenks said that Smith was thrilled with the idea and wholeheartedly supported it. An additional unframed drawing was donated by a Legion member bringing the total of drawings on the silent auction to seven.

The auction is now underway, he said, with bidding continuing until Nov. 30. Bidding sheets are available at the Post clubrooms at 137 W. Broadway with all proceeds going to the Hack project. The starting bid is $200 per piece, with Al’s favorite having a starting bid of $400.

Todd at Marv’s Picture Framing in Owatonna, who previously donated his time and a frame to help display the artwork at the Post, is offering buyers of the pieces on the auction 10% off framing, using UV-filtered glass to help protect the artwork for years to come, Joenks said.

Auction information and pictures of the artwork can be found on the Post website, http://www.owatonnapost77.org/hack-fundraiser.