HALLER PARK — The smell of bacon over Legion Park had diminished in time for the Kiwanis Auction at noon Friday, July 4. Big black clouds billowed overhead, cracking with light every now and then, but they never shed rain on the large crowd of Kiwanis supporters ready to bid.
The auction offered 44 silent auction items and 45 live auction items, with many of the annual favorites complimenting some new and different things.
The hot items, like usual, were the flag with experience flying over the nation’s capital, donated by Gil and Jill McKinnie with help from U.S. Representative Rick Larsen, and Kay Duskin’s two cheesecakes.
A visitor from Fort Collins, Colo., Weston Boulton jumped on the first item, brunch for four at the Arlington River Rock Inn, and booked the lunch on the spot during his short stay in Arlington.
“I called Bob Watkins to book the lunch on the phone and noticed him talking to me,” laughed Boulton, who was in town for a family gathering in honor of Annalee Boulton’s mother’s 100th birthday party.
Retired Arlington School District Superintendent Linda Byrnes was determined to purchase an hour of computer time offered by Mark Ehrhardt.
“I am so used to calling him whenever I have technical difficulties, I don’t know what I’ll do without him,” Byrnes said. June 30 was her last day on the job and she paid $250 for the two hours of computer support or training valued at $200.
Crushed rock, lunch with the mayor and a septic pumping joined baskets of goodies, massages, flowers and numerous garden hutches made of old barn wood by Terry Marsh contributed to the grand total of $10,193 raised specifically for scholarships.
“This is the most we’ve ever made on our July 4th Scholarship Auction,” said Virginia Hatch. “We made about $8,500 last year.”
The president of the club, Jan Bauer, said they brought in $648 by selling raffle tickets and since she didn’t have any small change, the winner, Kerry Munnich got the rounded up $325. Munnich is now past president of the Arlington Rotary Club, which presents the Great Stilly Duck Dash, which concluded the fun day in Haller Park with a twist this year.
