HIGH POINT — The lighting and dedication of the Wanek Family and Ashley Furniture Industries Eternal Flame sculpture will be held at 5:30 p.m., Friday, April 12, in front of the American Home Furnishings Hall of Fame building.
The sculpture is inspired by the Affie award presented to Hall of Fame inductees, and the Eternal Flame symbolizes the enduring spirit of the home furnishings industry and the inspiring accomplishments and innovations achieved by its leaders. The sculpture is surrounded by the Pathways of Honor courtyard.
“This inspiring eternal flame sculpture is given in recognition of our industry, partners and associates who have created a legacy of excellence,” said Todd Wanek, president and CEO of Ashley. “Our industry is one of the very few that is an eternal industry. People will always have homes and will always need furnishings to turn a house into our home. The home is at the center of life, and to us, our eternal flame pays tribute to the industry and our leaders.”
People in the industry may be memorialized in the Pathways of Honor courtyard bricks, which can be given over time and will be installed before each High Point Market. For more information, visit www.bricksrus.com/donorsite/halloffame.
Hand forged of steel and coated with a bronze finish, the sculpture stands more than 10 feet high and 5 feet wide, with 20 metal “flames” encasing the gas-burning flame and positioned on a pyramid-shaped stone base. The Eternal Flame was designed and built by Brilliant, an international specialty fabricator and creative firm in Orlando, Fla.
“Marketgoers and the public that visit the Home Furnishings Capital of the World will take photos in front of this dramatic, one-of-a-kind landmark,” said Karen McNeill, CEO and chairman of the Hall of Fame board. “It is designed to become a visitor destination and a differentiating feature that underscores the power and significance of the home furnishings industry.”
The American Home Furnishings Hall of Fame is located at 311 S. Hamilton St.