Lake Fork Community Center Sale draws large crowd

[March 31, 2015]  LINCOLN - The 42nd annual Lake Fork Community Center Sale is in the books and it was another success. The sale took place on Saturday in Lake Fork and despite cold temperatures, a huge crowd showed up.

By the end of the day folks were loading up their trucks and trailers and going home happy with their new-found goods. The old saying, "One man's trash is another man's treasure" can certainly ring true at any auction and this one held in Lake Fork is no exception.

According to one of the long-time volunteers, Sue Stewart of Mount Pulaski, "The weather was great, it was cold, but we did very well."

Thanks to the over 50 volunteers who help coordinate and run this event year after year, Stewart was able to say, "This is a team effort down here. All of us work together and if it wasn't for the people that do all of the work on the outside and in the basement, we couldn't do this."

For those who may not be familiar with the tiny community of Lake Fork, which sits on Route 54 between Mount Pulaski and Cornland, the Lake Fork Community Center is what used to be the Lake Fork Grade School. When the school closed the community got together and purchased the building and property from the Mount Pulaski School District.

Proceeds from the consignment sale, and the sale of meat and cheese, as well as the sausage and pancake meals, and biscuits and gravy meals all go towards maintaining the community center. On Saturday, the center served 500 breakfast meals in addition to sausage sandwiches, hotdogs and pronto pups that were served outside to the hungry crowd.

There was also a 50/50 raffle, which netted over $1,600 and half of that amount was won by Deloris Bryson.

Stewart was pleased with this year's fundraising efforts and noted, "Everything we make is for the upkeep of the building and grounds. We have completed additions to the building. This year we put new windows in and we have a new furnace and a new air conditioning system. We also graveled a part of the lot outside where we have the auction. It is a constant upkeep of the brick structure that has been here all these years."

The Lake Fork Community Center is also available to rent throughout the year for parties. There are picnic tables under a pavilion outside, and both the upstairs and downstairs of the building are air-conditioned. Kitchen facilities are also available downstairs to add to the convenience of holding a party at this facility.

Finally, as has been for the last 42 years, the Lake Fork Community Center sale and consignment auction is always held the last Saturday in March. Reminder while you are cleaning out your basement or your barn, mark your calendar for March 26, 2016 and head on down to Lake Fork.

[Teena Lowery]