Daryl is going, going, gone. The metal Bigfoot with the ‘injured’ extremities sold to the highest bidder for charity on Friday. The Cleveland landmark went on the auction block back in January. It sold for $500 in an online auction bidding war among a handful of bidders.
All of the proceeds will go to benefit The Jericho House – a drug and alcohol recovery center for men located in White County.
From selfie-spot to local lore
The saga of the over 9-foot-tall metal sasquatch took an unusual turn last November when a suspect crashed into it during a police chase. The shop owner says the sculpture – a popular selfie station with tourists – saved her store from major damage.
As photos of the wreck emerged online in the news and on social media, ‘Daryl,’ as owner Marianne Quigg calls him, became somewhat of a legend. Nine days after the accident, Quigg painted casts on Daryl’s ‘injured’ arm and leg and people began signing them.
“I did not realize how much he was loved in the area until people started reacting to his injury,” she told Now Habersham. “I thought, ‘Oh, this is a community thing.'”
Soon after, Quigg decided to auction off Daryl for charity, adding another chapter to his storied tale. Rick Sammons of Bullseye Auctions, a Now Habersham reader and advertiser, read about Quigg’s intentions and decided to help.
“I saw the story in NH and stopped by to offer our services to Marianne,” he says. “We offered to host an online auction, at no charge, to help her out. That way, 100% of the proceeds can go to Jericho House.”
Quigg previously said she chose Jericho House because “The young man involved in the accident has a substance abuse problem.” Her family history also factored into her decision. “As a teenager, my family had to endure something very much like this with my own brother.”
“What a cool outcome of such a tragic event,” says Sammons, adding he hopes the auction will “raise some needed funds and awareness for Jericho House.”
Addiction: An equal opportunity destroyer
“I’m excited this [auction] is going on,” says Jericho House Founder and Executive Director Larry McKenna. “I really appreciate it. I hope it will yield a lot of good generous people.”
Donor generosity partly funds The Jericho House mission to be a refuge for men caught in drug and alcohol addiction. The center’s 12-month residential ‘regeneration’ program includes Biblically-based individual and family counseling, as well as work requirements.
According to its website, part of the mission and ministry of The Jericho House is to teach men how to recover from addictions while also helping them to develop a good work ethic and attitude. Residents are required to help with facility maintenance. They also work with Jericho Industries which provides a wide range of services for hire to the community including tree clearing, painting, and home repair. Jericho Industries also has a moving company that operates within a 200-mile radius of The Jericho House campus in Sautee.
The Jericho House can serve up to 22 men at a time. Participation in the recovery program costs $36 per resident per day. Residents pay one-third of the cost out of pocket, one-third is covered by their work with Jericho Industries, and the balance is paid for through donations.
“It’s a fine balance,” McKenna says, adding that their program is “the cheapest in town.”
While several area churches and individuals donate to the program, fundraisers such as the online auction for bigfoot also help to sustain them.
“We always say addiction is an equal opportunity destroyer. Our main goal is to help the man but also reconcile the family. Those funds can help us provide the training to help these guys do that.”
Front row seat to a miracle
Before starting The Jericho House in 2009, McKenna says he helped establish two other substance abuse recovery programs in North Georgia: No Longer Bound in Cumming and Waypoint Ministry in Dahlonega. He set up The Jericho House in Sautee where it’s surrounded by nature as a sort of “retreat,” a way to “get these guys away from a negative environment.”
Retreat. Refuge. Regeneration. Recovery. They’re all words that describe the place and purpose of The Jericho House. McKenna uses the word ‘miracle’ to describe the result.
“You have a front row seat to a miracle. You get to see a guy’s life change. You get to see his kids playing with him again; they’re not afraid of him anymore. This is what that [donations] helps us do, and we do it every day.”
For substance abuse help or interventions, contact Pastor Larry McKenna at 678-860-7873.
For more information on Jericho Industries or to get a quote on their services, visit them online or contact Arturo Garcia at 678-858-0470.
