Westhampton Business Owner Makes Fundraising Fun

Karen Hogan has a goal to raise $5,000 for the non-profit Soles4Souls charity, solely through an art program she designed at her 2-year-old Studio Art business, located it 22 Sunset Avenue in Westhampton Beach.

With her business doing so well — she opened two locations in just two years — Hogan said it was time to give back.

“I wanted to find my own thing that I stand for and it feels good to be working for a good cause,” said Hogan, who said she came up with an idea that combined what she loves most — art and children — with a worthy charity.

Working through ideas, she said she created a project where parents can bring their kids to her children’s art studio and for $30 decorate a pair of shoes, adorning them with glitz and paint.

For $40 they can purchase a kit to bring home. It includes everything, said Hogan, to design a great pair of shoes.

Proceeds from the craft will go toward Soles4Souls. Hogan explained that of the $30 fee for the craft project, $8 goes to Soles4Souls.  That will buy; she said 8 pairs of shoes for the Soles4Souls, which provides adults and children in need with shoes. 

Soles4Souls, said Hogan has a goal to collect 11 million pairs of shoes by the end of 2011.

“We do a lot of foot-ware projects in the studio,” said Hogan.  “So, I thought this was a perfect fit.”

Aside from sneakers in all sizes, Hogan said she has rain-boots that kids really get a kick out of decorating, as well as skateboards.

Hogan said that aside from offering individuals the opportunity to help Sholes4Souls by decorating a new pair of kicks, Hogan said she hopes to get local school districts and organizations, such as Boy and Girl Scouts involved by offering them a chance to raise money for themselves and help Soles4Souls at the same time.

Soles4Souls also offers a Girl Scout badge, said Hogan.

With the fund-raiser in effect for less than a week, Hogan says she has already raised enough to purchase 19 pairs of shoes for Soles4Souls. She hopes to do so much more and believes she can with much of her existing clientele.

Of course, she said she hopes that her charity program will also drum up new customers.

Hogan’s business not only offers kiddie birthday parties and drop-in art crafts, but also a baby-sitting service, where parents can drop their children off at the storefront for a few hours.

While their kids craft to their heart’s content, parents can take some time to shop, said Hogan.

During the summer, Hogan said this service is very popular, not only for the convince, but for the price.

Kids like it, said Hogan, a mother of five, who holds a master’s degree in teaching and was a substitute teacher in the Hampton Bays School District.

At the studio, children have a variety of crafts to choose from.  They can do anything from make perfume to airbrush t-shirts to try their hand at pottery to painting, Hogan explained.

Also popular is Art Studio’s winter and summer camps, where kids can get creative doing pretty much any project they can dream up.

Right now, Art Studio is running a special on its Winter Break Camp.  For $375 a week, Art Studio will provide two and a half hours of fun each day of school winter recess.

Additional hours during winter recess are available upon request, said Hogan.

 “I am very flexible,” stressed Hogan, who said she leaves her cell phone number posted on the front door of her business for anyone looking to craft even when the store is not open.

“Call anytime and we will open,” said Hogan.

This weekend, Studio Art will be open Friday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday from  10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Sunday from noon to 4.

For more information, call 631-998-0563