Copyright 2003 The Omaha World-Herald Company
Omaha World Herald (Nebraska)
February 21, 2003, Friday SUNRISE EDITION
SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 1b; Rainbow Rowell
BODY:
Marian Roberts of Atkinson, Neb., never figured her ashtray collection would become great art.
She was just looking for a way to get the ashtrays out of her house. Her kids sure don't want them, and Marian herself has moved on to collecting key chains and distressed copper music boxes.
The ashtrays were sitting in storage when Marian heard about Snuff Out Nebraska, UNO's anti-smoking campaign.
University of Nebraska at Omaha Professor David Corbin and artist Jamie Burmeister need hundreds of ashtrays for an anti-smoking sculpture. (It will be unveiled on April 2, Kick Butts Day.)
They have collected more than 200 ashtrays since putting out the call two weeks ago in this column. One of the donated ashtrays seems to have been a promotional item given out by a medical school.
Marian's 300 ashtrays will get the sculptors to their goal.
Where did Marian, 87 and a nonsmoker, get 300 ashtrays? She started collecting them in the 1940s, when her brother brought one home from the service. People brought her ashtrays from all over until about 10 years ago when Marian decided no more ashtrays. "I would be glad to get rid of them," she said.