A Brookhaven Animal Rescue League fundraiser for its newfacility building project offers people a chance to own a uniquepiece of art and history.

Slate shingles that survived Hurricane Katrina on the roof of aturn-of-the-century home in New Orleans have been enhanced by thecreative genius of local and Mississippi School of the Artsartists. The artists volunteered their talents to help raise moneyfor BARL, a nonprofit organization that saves unwanted dogs andcats and offers them to good homes at low cost.

Rita Watts, an event organizer, said the slates will be ondisplay at State Bank until Wednesday. They will be moved Thursdayto the Bank of Brookhaven, where they will remain until Nov.13.

Interested buyers can make public bids on the slate of theirchoosing at any of the locations, Watts said. However, sherecommends checking back on the bids periodically since others canoutbid them later.

Also, as artists complete new works, new slates will continue tobe added to the display until the Nov. 13 deadline, Watts said.

The slates will again be moved Nov. 14 to the Country Fishermanfor the third annual BARL Celebrity Dinner and Silent Auction.

“Only ticket purchasers for the dinner will be able to make bidsthere,” Watts said,” so they will get to make the final bids.”

All proceeds from the sale of the slates will go to the BARLbuilding fund or the care of the animals, she said.

There are approximately 35 to 40 painted slates available forthe sale in a variety of styles and topics, she said. The artistswere given total freedom to express themselves on the slates.

“I hope to raise close to $2,000,” Watts said.

This is likely the only time BARL will hold this event, shesaid.

“I don’t plan to do this again next year,” Watts said. “This isa one-time opportunity.”

What makes the sale unique, she said, is the age of the slates,the artist’s designs and how they came to be in Brookhaven.

The slates survived Katrina, but the house suffered major damageto its roof and many slates were destroyed. The owner decided to gowith a different roofing material when repairing the damage andWatts’ brother, Dale Gibson, who lives in the New Orleans GardenDistrict, talked his neighbor into giving him some of theslates.

Gibson had seen artists on New Orleans’ Jackson Square paintingslates for sale and thought it might make a good fundraiser.

“I’ve known about the slates since Katrina, and he said he wouldsave them for us,” Watts said.

The slate sale has had an added benefit to BARL, she said.Students at the arts school who have participated in the projecthave become interested in the organization and are now volunteeringtheir time as well as their talents.

“They are so excited about what they are hearing about theirwork,” she said. “These kids are going to get involved as a resultof this project. They want to come on Saturdays to help with cleanups and play with the dogs.”

The organization is presently needing funding to continue workon its new facility behind the Gove Thermometer plant. The newfacility will house approximately 50 dogs and 30 cats.