HOULTON, Maine — Officials with the Houlton Rotary Club are declaring the 62nd Annual Radio, TV and Internet Auction another smashing success.
The auction, held Nov. 20-22, grossed nearly $52,000, which includes money from bidding, the sale of fuel oil raffle tickets, advertising, sponsorships and donations. The bidding alone topped $40,000, which is an increase over the 2016 auction, according to Nancy Ketch, Houlton Rotarian.
Ketch stated in a press release that there also was more than $2,000 in donations made through the auction, which includes pledges for the Boy and the Boot statues for the Houlton Regional Health Services Foundation, direct donations to Rotary projects, and contributions to Cary Library for the purchase of books.
Net proceeds from the auction will benefit the club’s major projects, which include: completing the book series for children at Cary Library; the Backpacks for Kids program; purchasing equipment for the Hodgdon school theater program; purchasing a utility trailer for the Houlton Salvation Army to distribute food and furniture; and the Northern Maine Lacrosse program.
The auction also helps fund the club’s regular charities, such as Dollars for Scholars at all area schools, Student Recognition Day, youth baseball and the Rotary Youth Exchange Program.
“We are thrilled with the success of the auction and the generosity of the community allowing us to fund such worthwhile projects that will have an impact on individuals locally and worldwide,” stated Rotary President Matt Nightingale in a press release.
The annual auction is Houlton Rotary’s largest fundraiser each year and requires the work of the entire club and the support of area businesses and individuals.
Auction Chairman Nate Bodenstab said, “We can’t thank the community enough for their continued support of this project. From those who donate items, sponsors and advertisers to those who bid and purchase the goods, it is a true community event and wouldn’t be possible without all of this generosity.”
For more information on Rotary, contact Nightingale or any Houlton Rotarian. Results of the auction, including successful bidders, can be found at the club’s web site at www.houltonrotary.org.
