Even Salman Rushdie pitches in for Hunt
BY KAREN BOSSICK<br><i>The Wood River Journal~Ketchum</i>

A Who&#039;s Who of authors have donated works in memory of their friend Gary Hunt, while some of the valley&#039;s favorite bands are tuning up in his honor.
The two groups will come together this weekend for a fund-raising and tribute in honor of the owner of Iconoclast Books, who died in an automobile accident a month ago.
Money raised will be donated to the Hunt-Hedrick-David Children&#039;s Fund, which was set up for the four children he left behind as Hunt had no life insurance policy.
&#8220;We&#039;re very excited about it,&#8221; said Claudia Aulum, owner of The Open Room. &#8220;Gary was such an important member of our community in a quiet way. He gave a lot and was always there.&#8221;
The weekend kicks off Friday with a free open mic and auction beginning at 8 p.m. at Iconoclast Books.
Anyone can contribute five minutes worth of prose, poetry, song or dramatic monologue, provided they sign in by 8 p.m. A prize for best costume will be awarded to the person who dresses as the most colorful Iconoclast.
Ketchum caterer Ric Lum is providing hors d&#039;oeuvres for the event and there will be a cash bar.
&#8220;The open mic is something in the spirit of the kinds of things Gary used to do,&#8221; said Aulum. And it keeps it fun and accessible and participatory in a way Gary would have appreciated.&#8221;
The silent auction, which closes at 9 p.m., will feature some unique items.
Several authors who have been featured at the Sun Valley Writers Conference, including Thomas Cahill, Anna Lamott, John Burnham Schwartz, W.S. Merwin, Frank McCourt and Alex Kuczinski, have offered signed books.
Poet Billy Collins has donated a signed galley of his yet-unpublished book &#8220;Ballistics,&#8221; and Michael A. Fitzgerald has donated a &#8220;manuscript read, edit and opinion.&#8221;
The controversial author Salman Rushdie is donating a couple books. In addition, poet laureate Lawrence Ferlinghetti is donating a poem in honor of Hunt.
There also will be a trip for two to San Francisco, with a night in a hotel and a &#036;100 gift certificate to City Lights Bookstore, which Ferlinghetti owns, where the couple will meet the poet.
Ketchum on the Fly has donated a fly-fishing trip, along with a picnic basket donated by Open Room and a book on fly-fishing.
Several local artists, including Heather Hansen, David DeVillier and Judy Whitmyre, have donated works.
In addition, Sarah Hedrick has complied a couple stacks of her late husband&#039;s favorite reads. And the Sun Valley Writers&#039; Conference has donated two passes to the sold-out conference, which will be held Aug. 22 through 25.
Absentee bids will be accepted by Claudia Aulum at (208) 720-8704.
&#8220;I&#039;ve never seen a silent auction like this one,&#8221; said Barbi Reed, of Anne Reed Gallery and a board member of the Sun Valley Writers Conference. &#8220;There are so many amazing items being auctioned off&#045;it&#039;s extraordinary.&#8221;
On Saturday, there will be a Read-In from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Iconoclast Books&#039; Ketchum store. All ages are welcome to join in, by bringing a book to the store or purchasing one there.
Page Klune, who frequently tells stories at The Community Library, will host a story hour midway through the Read-In and light refreshments will be served.
On Sunday, Iconoclast Blast! hits the streets with a block party, barbecue and live music from 1 to 4 p.m. in the Walnut Avenue Mall at East 2nd Street and Walnut Avenue.
The party includes a barbecue served up by Mark and Tracey Caraluzzi of CIRO Restaurant and Market. And Four Stroke Bus, The Kim Stocking Band and Ketchum World Beat Street Band will provide the music.
Tickets are &#036;25 for adults, &#036;15 for students 8 through 18 and free for younger kids. They&#039;re available at Iconoclast Books, The Open Room, Ketchum on the Fly, and at the event. They also are available online at <a href="http://www.ovationtix.com/trs/pe/604182">http://www.ovationtix.com/trs/pe/604182</a> ]<a href="http://www.ovationtix.com/trs/pe/604182">http://www.ovationtix.com/trs/pe/604182</a>
&#8220;We all liked Gary and his family needs help. We just want to share our music and help out,&#8221; said Caldwell.


 





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