Setting the stage: Long-time Rotary auction set for Sunday
ST. MARYS - With close to 400 items the annual St. Marys Rotary Club auction offers a wide array of products for those of all ages. This year's live television event is right around the corner and set for Sunday beginning at 12:30 p.m.
Now in its 57th year, the auction is the club's biggest fundraiser of the year. Items offered range from a variety of gift cards from many local eateries and shops, power tools, decor items, custom made fire rings, housewares, automotive items, cleaning products along with furniture such as mattresses and chairs. The auction boards listing all items for bid can be found on the rotary's website at stmarysrotary.org
The auction lasts for several hours and is staged at the Project Gifts for Elk County building located at 211 Depot St. It is broadcast live through The River 98.9 radio station via Facebook and Youtube. The auction can also be accessed through a link on theriver989. com which will direct visitors to the rotary's website where viewers can click on the link to the Zito Media channel to view it.
Pre-registration begins around 10:30 a.m. the day of the auction by calling 814-834-2241 at which time bidders will receive a pin number. This number should be provided whenever a person places a bid. An operator will contact a person if they submit a successful bid.
Throughout the auction, the items are listed on various boards each with different lengths of times they are available to bid on. Time lengths vary from three, five and six minutes with larger items displayed for 10 minutes.
Items may be picked up the same day of the auction beginning one hour after the conclusion of the event as well as the following Monday, Feb. 27 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Project Gifts for Elk County. Items can also now be paid with a credit card.
Vern Kreckel, Rotary secretary and longtime club member, said donors have been very generous throughout the years. The club is also thankful for all of the volunteers who help with the auction including The River 98.9, Aaron Simbeck from Advanced Computer Solutions (ACS) and Brandon Bauer, an independent technician, St. Marys Moose Club, Project Gifts, Sharon Schatz, their website coordinator, and more. Additionally on the day of the auction about 20 volunteers are on hand including local high school students who help work the phone lines and with other various tasks.
“Without them (volunteers) we couldn't do it,” Kreckel said.
Proceeds from the auction go back into the community through various Rotary Club initiatives, projects and programs.
Preparations for the event begin in January when club members send letters to area businesses requesting donations.
The auction has a long-history as it's been taking place for more than 50 years. It began in the late 1960s as a radio auction, organized by club members George Bauer and Art Heary. Since then the event has been held annually the last weekend in February. Kreckel said it is likely this time of year was likely chosen due it being a slow time of year with people still being inside due to the winter weather.
Throughout the years the auction changed format, upgrading to a radio auction and slowly evolving to a televised event. Kreckel noted during the first Rotary auction in February 1967, the club auctioned off two automobiles with it being broadcast on WKBI AM 1400. Kreckel emphasized The River WQKY has played an integral role in the success of the auction and the Rotary Club wouldn't be able to host the event without their assistance.
In 2020 the club debuted an online bidding process to make the auction more accessible to interested participants residing outside the area. They have also incorporated the ability to use credit cards to purchase items.