BUCHANAN — At the entrance to the Buchanan Art Center, a scarecrow bearing the likeness of renowned artist Vincent van Gogh stands sentry — with a pipe, painting of yellow flowers and gauze bandage covering one of his ears.

This is only one of 203 scarecrow displays scattered throughout downtown Buchanan this year and like this van Gogh look alike, each has its own creative set of details and character traits that makes each scarecrow a unique work of art. 

The scarecrows were put up early this week and are created by the Buchanan Scarecrow Charities to raise money for a variety of local causes. Volunteers spend weeks crafting the characters in the “scarecrow factory,” a warehouse in the Harding’s Strip Mall. Here, they have access to a well-stocked clothing and props closet to choose from.

Local businesses buy the scarecrows, and the charity pours the money back into the community through scholarships, donations to Redbud Area Ministries, McCoy’s Creek Trail, the Buchanan Senior Center and student robotics, to name a few. Not including funds from this year, which are still being tallied, the charity has donated more than $65,000 since its inception.

The tradition first began in 2007 with the efforts of Mary Fisher and the late Carole Hedstrom. The women first began making the scarecrows in an effort to raise funds for the Buchanan Art Center but eventually decided they wanted to use the creative project to give back to other local organizations, too. While Hedstrom has since passed away, the charity continues to recognize her contribution to the tradition, offering a scholarship in her name to local students.

Every year, Fisher said she sees the tradition continue to grow.   

“It’s a surprise, I will say that much and it is wonderful,” Fisher said. “It is not anything we had envisioned years ago when we started it.”

The scarecrow displays are put up shortly before the Labor Day holiday so that people traveling can appreciate them alongside residents. 

“We try to get them up before the Labor Day weekend because people sometimes gear their vacation time around looking at the scarecrows and walking the town,” Fisher said. “It’s the same reactions every year. We do get such a nice reaction from the town.”

Jean Rose, the president of Buchanan Scarecrow Charities, commended the teamwork of volunteers, who help to bring the scarecrows to life each year.

“It’s just a really great group of people to work with,” Rose said. “It is nice to do something you have fun at and still give back to the community.”

People can also sign up to build their own scarecrow through a series of workshops that the charity offers to the public.

The workshops will take place between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Sept. 15, Sept. 22 and Sept. 29. The cost is $25 for a child-sized scarecrow and $20 for a toddler-sized scarecrow. All materials are provided.

“They will pick out the clothes and the hats and all the embellishments,” Fisher said. “It’s really a fun thing.”

The cost also helps to support the charity’s efforts to give back to the Buchanan community. Space is limited, so those interested are encouraged to reserve a spot by calling the Buchanan Scarecrow Charities at (269) 845-6072. There are also private workshops available for large groups, which can be set up by contacting the charity.