Prosser, Wash. — November 1, 2016 — In less than two weeks, a larger-than-life bronze statue of Dr. Walter Clore, will be installed and dedicated to Walter Clore Wine and Culinary Center. The statue will be unveiled on Saturday, November 12, 2016. The event is open to the public with a reception at 1pm and the dedication at 2pm. (Editor’s note: RSVP to info@theclorecenter.org is appreciated but not required.)
This undertaking is coming to fruition after more than a dozen years in the making on behalf of a dedicated group of community volunteers, including the Prosser Rotary Club (of which Dr. Clore was a longtime member). Upon his passing in 2003 the Prosser Rotary Club, spearheaded by the late Clarence Rinker, raised seed money toward a statue to commemorate Dr. Clore and be placed at the Clore Center, which was then a project in progress.
Two years ago, Bob Early, a Rotarian and former colleague of Dr. Clore, took up the effort to complete funding for the project. Generous donations were received by the community, and an artist was selected. Malcolm Phinney of the Phinney Gallery in Joseph, Ore. was selected to complete the project. Malcolm worked closely with photos of Dr. Clore and feedback from Dr. Clore’s daughters to create the piece.
Dr. Walter Clore was officially recognized in 2003 as the “Father of Washington Wine.” by the State Legislature.