Area residents gathered at Spangler Arena to bid on a wide assortment of donated merchandise at the 52nd Wauseon Rotary Club Auction, Saturday, October 25.
From a pair of song birds to a golf cart to a motorcycle to grab bags of toys, the day-long auction offered something for everyone. Jeff Rupp, Past President of Wauseon Rotary, said that from new products, items from estates, furniture, food items, and gift baskets, they auctioned off over 1000 items. He said while they work year round to collect items for the auction, picking up donations and storing them in warehouses, the majority of the donations come in the month before the auction. On auction day around 60 members of the Wauseon Rotary Club along with some of their spouses and children volunteered their time to make the event run smoothly. A few area auctioneers volunteered their time as well.
The proceeds from the auction are earmarked for finishing Phase 2 of the Dorothy B. Biddle Park project that began two years ago. Rupp said that Phase 2 includes four diamonds with shorter distances to the home run fence for boys’ and girls’ little league and softball. The fields, including grass infields with dirt baselines are already complete. In addition, he said that the lights are up, the sprinkler systems are in, the pads for the dugouts are poured and the concession stand with restrooms is finished. Rupp indicated that the funds raised from this auction will pay for completing the fencing and building the dugouts. “The fields will be ready for play next spring!” said Rupp.
The club hoped to raise $50,000 at the auction. Rupp said that while they won’t have the final numbers in for a few weeks, it appears that they will hit their goal despite a lower than usual attendance. He said that this year they gave out about 415 bid numbers, but it other years it can be around 500. He said, “this year was a little slower than normal; it was just too nice of a day out. People were working in their yards, harvesting crops, etc. We do better when it is cold and rainy.”
Over the last 10 years, the club has invested nearly $5 million in the park.