Newtown ​Art Students Auctioning Off Painting To Combat Lyme Disease

NEWTOWN, PA — To mark Lyme Disease Awareness Month, 30 young artists from the Newtown area are auctioning off a collaborative painting they created of the Schofield Ford Covered Bridge at Tyler State Park to benefit the PA Lyme Disease Resource Network (palyme.org).

Their 14 by 18 inch acrylic on canvas painting titled "Sunset Over Schofield Ford Covered Bridge" will be on display throughout the month of May at Countryside Gallery in Newtown where customers can submit bids for a chance to win the artwork.

Bidding entry forms are available at the gallery or bids can be placed via email at [email protected]. Bids can also be called into the gallery at 215-968-2246. Bids will be accepted through June 2 and the highest bidder will be contacted June 3.

In addition to the auction, note cards and prints featuring another collaborative painting by the students, "Springtime at Tyler Park," will be on sale. Both scenes feature Pennsylvania landscapes because while Lyme and TBS are prevalent in Pennsylvania, it is still important to get outside and enjoy nature. Just know how to protect yourself before venturing outdoors.

Prevention information will be available at the display table with 100 percent of the proceeds from the sale of the note cards, prints, and the silent auction piece supporting PAlyme.org. The PA Lyme Resource Network is an all-volunteer organization dedicated to education, prevention, support and patient advocacy.

Participating artists include Taylor Antell, Amelia Binkley, Ella Binkley, Robert Bolte, Allison Cirillo, Victoria Cirillo, Taylor Dahms, Lily Esposito, Lily Kinder, Paarth Kunwar, Andrew Loudon, Tim Loudon, Carter Mandel, Darcy McCullough, Evangeline McGarry, Andrew McNamara, William McNamara, Addison Merriman, Amelia Mlynarczyk, N. Perry, Ava Peterson, Grace Porter, Anastasia Prilepskiy, Jane Reifsneider, Elizabeth R., Nehee S., Ruhee S., Anna S., A. Smith, K. Smith, and Sean Williams, with the guidance of Bonnie Porter.

The community is invited to view the painting and notecards and pickup free Lyme prevention brochures at Countryside Gallery & Framing at 2 South State Street in Newtown. Gallery hours are Sunday and Monday from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday and Wednesday from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. For more information, call 215-968-2246.

About Lyme Disease

Imagine waking up every day feeling as if you had the worst flu ever. Imagine that you continue to wake up with pain, brain fog, anxiety, and crushing fatigue every day for weeks, months, and even years. Imagine how that would impact your ability to go to work, school, take care of your children, or maintain relationships.

According to the PA Lyme Resource Network, that is the reality day after day for many chronic Lyme sufferers.

Did you know, Pennsylvania is the number one state in the nation for Lyme Disease cases? Did you know that Bucks County is the second highest county in Pennsylvania for Lyme? And did you know that you can get multiple tick-borne diseases (called co-infections) from just one tick bite? Many patients go on to have long term chronic symptoms even after treatment, according to the Lyme Network.

Nearly half a million people in the U.S. are diagnosed with Lyme and TBDs every year, and cases are rising, according to the PA Lyme Resource Network. Kids are at especially high risk, and 40 percent of new cases are children, the network says.