By Krystal Smalley
ksmalley@wbcowqel.com
The Bucyrus Rotary Club has its eye on the ball and they plan to hit it out of the park next Saturday.
The Rotary Club has partnered with the Bucyrus Little League to put on this year’s Auctionfest, a project that brings the community together for a night of fun and fellowship.
“We work with a partner each year to try to raise funds for Rotary,” explained Auctionfest co-chairman Terry Gernert. “A portion of the proceeds goes to Rotary and the balance of whatever we raise goes to the partner.”
Last year the Rotary Club helped the Bucyrus Preservation Society, bringing in $20,880 from the Auctionfest. It was the second time the Rotary Club had teamed up with the Preservation Society. The Rotary Club has also worked with the Bucyrus YMCA, the Bucyrus Community Hospital, and the Harvey School in the past.
“We’ve had a lot of partners over the years,” Gernert said. “This is second time we’ve had Bucyrus Little League as our partner.”
Auctionfest will be held at Dillinger’s Event Center on April 12. Doors open at 4:00 p.m. and the dinner will begin at 5:00. Bidding for the silent auction starts when the doors open and the live auction will begin at 6:00. There will be 175 items auctioned off during the night. The John Kennedy Quartet will provide entertainment.
Tickets can still be purchased by calling Gernert at 419-562-4075. The cost is $100 per ticket, with $50 of that price acting as a voucher for the auction that night.
“Lots of opportunity for friendship and fellowship and people just having a good time together,” Rotary Club President Virginia Hammontree said.
“It is a community event,” said Hammontree. “We have this auction every year to benefit the city. While we have a partner, we have a process to go through to get to that partner and always want to feel like we are helping the greater community, not just a small group of that community.”
“It’s an emphasis of the Bucyrus Rotary Club to each year do something to try to improve our community,” Gernert explained. “Couple years ago, it was BAY Soccer Club. They were building fields . . . they had a project and we helped them with that. I guess, each year it’s a different group we’re focusing on but that’s the whole gist of it: that Bucyrus Rotary is trying to do something for the community in kind of a big way each year.”
Auctionfest is a Rotary project but Hammontree said the groups applying to be a partner need to know what they are putting in the project.
“We provide the venue for them to show themselves off, of how they work together and accomplish things also for the community for whatever specific item it is they are working on,” said Hammontree. “That coming together is really what makes this beneficial to everyone.”
Since 2002, the Auctionfest has netted nearly $372,000.
Hammontree said the tough economy had hit the Auctionfest a bit but both Hammontree and Gernert were optimistic about the turnout for Saturday’s event.
“There are people who have been there year in, year out,” said Gernert, “and groups that have supported us pretty much every year that we’ve done this. It’s really a good thing. You know, we couldn’t do it without the ongoing loyalty.”
“If we can check out on Saturday night and say ‘don’t forget to put my name on the list for next year,’ you feel like it’s been a success,” Hammontree said. “It truly is a social event.”