By DOUG GRAVES
Ohio Correspondent

DAYTON, Ohio — In past years leaders of the 4-H Clubs in Montgomery County relied on sales of popcorn, magazines or candy by its many members to support the many clubs in the county. The sale of the goodies helped some, but wasn’t the real fundraiser many organizers thought it would be. In addition, the competition against those selling Girl Scout cookies made things even worse.

Their answer? Conduct a 4-H auction at the county fairgr ounds and invite all the communities in the Dayton area.

“We’ve averaged about $8,500 each year since this began in 2000,” said county 4-H educator Betty Wingerter. “This event benefits all 25 different 4-H clubs in Montgomery County and everything we raise goes directly to the program with no administrative costs.”

Oh, the children of these clubs did have some work to do. They merely had to encourage businesses, family or friends to donate to the auction. And that, Wingerter said, was an easy sell.

“But the business community and others came through for us in a big way,” she said, “donating gift certificates, decorative plants, furniture and other nice items. Wal-Mart, Stockslager’s Nursery and others came through with some nice donations.”

Homemade clothing items and homemade pies garnered bids up to $50. Shawls, dresses, hats, boots and even a go-cart was up for bids as well. Everything on all seven tables had a price tag and everything was sold.

“The good thing is the kids didn’t have to go door-to-door selling candy, magazines or popcorn,” Wingerter said.

The amount raised at this annual event is holding steady. Participation in 4-H in Montgomery County and the Dayton area is doing well, too.

“4-H is actually doing quite well in this county, but we’re always short on volunteers,” Wingerter said. “We need adults who can give of their time once a month to work with kids in their community.”
This two-hour, standing-room-only event included a live auction, silent auction, raffles and door prizes.

“More than $89,000 has been raised since the first auction back in 2000,” Wingerter said.

A wide variety of items were on the auction block on this particular evening. A new set of left-hander golf clubs didn’t raise too many eyebrows. Neither did the box full of new board games. But the pair of Ohio State-Michigan football tickets set up a bidding war between five men in the gallery.

In the end the winner paid $750 for the two tickets, making this one of the highest bid items in the history of the 4-H auction in Montgomery County.