Lyle auction breaks past records
Published 12:00 am Monday, January 24, 2000
LYLE – Not content with setting a new record a year ago on the 20th anniversary of the Lyle Area Cancer Auction, generous bidders broke that record this weekend.
Monday, January 24, 2000
LYLE – Not content with setting a new record a year ago on the 20th anniversary of the Lyle Area Cancer Auction, generous bidders broke that record this weekend.
And did they break it: They raised $11,000 more than a year ago.
The 21st annual Lyle Area Cancer Auction raised $26,500 for the Eagles Area Cancer Telethon. That helped the Fifth District Eagles raise $456,000 for cancer research.
Not bad for 21 hours of work Friday and Saturday at American Legion Post No. 105.
"I will never sell this area short," Gary Ziegler said Sunday afternoon in the midst of counting and recounting proceeds. "It’s just amazing."
Ziegler and his wife, Cindy, were co-chairs of the event with Mary Witt and her husband, Ivan. All four spent 21 hours inside the Legion Club with other volunteers. "It takes a lot of spokes in the wheel to make this thing go round," Gary Ziegler said.
There might have been some hint of what was to happen Friday night, when the auction activities kicked off. A total of 450 items were auctioned in six hours, raising $9,200 at that point.
On Friday night, the highlight of the evening came when a 12-pack of beer was auctioned. Sharon Kaput donated the beer a year ago, when she tearfully told the auction crowd she was dying of cancer.
The 12-pack sold no less than 12 times that night in January 1999.
During the year, Sharon Kaput died of cancer and later, her father, George, also succumbed. This year, Lois Kaput, mother of Sharon and wife of George was among the bidders at the auction.
Mark Williamson, a brother-in-law of Sharon Kaput, bought the 12-pack for $525. He autographed it with his name and the date and donated it to Post No. 105, where commander Galen Holst will put it on display.
When Saturday’s auction began, the momentum continued. Dave Thompson took a stint at auctioneering, volunteering his services like so many other area auctioneers and the fun and fund-raising took off.
‘Class of 1980’ honored
The Zieglers and the Witts held a recognition program for "auction old-timers."
Gary Ziegler said: "We don’t like to call them old-timers. They’re members of the Lyle auction class of 1980, when they got together at the old Silver Saddle Dance Hall and raised $6,800."
Introduced were Pat and Kenny Bauer, Mary and Steve Baumann, Gary and Margie Harrison, Randy Krulish, Eva Krulish, Dona Henaman, Mike and Brenda Felton, Keith and Marilyn Goslee, Sherry Rauen, Lorraine Tilton, Galen Holst, Darrel Henaman, Peggy Carroll, Sharon Osmonson, Brad and Dona Nelson, Reuben Murphy, Herman Kohnke, Don and Barb Olson and Betty Fisher.
Just like they did that first year, the volunteers once again had fun, selling an empty coat hanger for $65. Who bought it? Answer: Larry Murphy, who bought it the first time it was offered in 1980.
By late afternoon Saturday, the total was up to $13,628.
"That’s what happens all the time. People bid up items and that’s how we raise so much money for cancer research," Gary Ziegler said.
Cleary talks to crowd
Dr. Margot Cleary, a research scientist at the Hormel Institute, visited the Legion Club, and told about her research and that of others at the institute. In addition, Cleary also expressed the institute’s appreciation for everyone’s support.
Hormel Institute is one of three beneficiaries of the Fifth District Eagles Cancer Telethon. The other two are the Mayo Clinic and the University of Minnesota.
Mary Witt took a break from her duties to express appreciation for the generosity of area businesses and individuals, who this year donated 1,750 items – a new high.
Witt told about the fanny pack, which gets passed around the crowd and is stuffed with dollar bills. Her husband bought it for $165 and then told the auctioneer to sell it again and it brought $260 the second time around.
"Everybody does so much to make this work," Mary Witt said. "And, then they come to the auction and do so much more. It’s really heartwarming to see that kind of generosity and spirit."
Todd Utpadel of Glenville interrupted his shift at auctioneering to tell the crowd, while his father died of cancer, his mother, who recently was diagnosed with it, took treatment and now "she’s clean. They caught it early and she’s completely clean. That’s what your dollars are doing. Helping fight cancer."