|
 The
evening focuses on breast cancer as October is Breast Cancer
Awareness month across the nation. Even so, the evening was truly
about cancer warriors of all types. Early in the evening a special
presentation by Kathleen Brumbaugh highlighted the efforts of two
outstanding volunteers for Relay for Life, Bill Post and Tonita
Reifsteck.
At one point during the presentation, Brumbaugh asked for a show of
hands of those who were breast cancer warriors and/or survivors.
There were many hands went up. Later Brumbaugh would ask how many in
the room had cared for or assisted in anyway a breast cancer
warrior. Again there were many ands that went up. It was a living
illustration of the many, many cases of breast cancer that are
diagnosed each year.
The planning committee for the auction had come to the front of the
room. Those people were Karen Castelein, Annie Coers, Cindy Guyett,
Jennifer Luckhart, Nila Smith and Chassidy White. Unable to attend
was committee member Noah Atkins. Others that were on hand and
helping for the night included Friends and Family Relay team members
Janet Cook, Nancy Cunningham and Janice Funk. Also helping out for
the evening was June Novak-Bock, Alice Engle, Bill Post, Tonita
Reifsteck, Mike Cunningham, John Castelein, Richard Smith, Lesley
Bridge, and the entire crew at Collision Concepts.
Another important helper for part of the night was a breast cancer
survivor named Pamela Baker. Baker had called Castelein a couple of
weeks prior to the auction and explained that as a very recent
warrior and survivor she was moved to offer her help. She was placed
at the tally table, helping to hand out paddles alongside volunteer
Lesley Bridge.
Once again this year, the food was donated by Nuthatch Hill BBQ and
Erv and Cindy Guyett. A lovely dessert table with pink ribbon themed
cupcakes was donated by Tammy Mullins. New this year was another
large donation from Joe and Michelle Ryan.
Michelle works for a wine distribution source and donated all the
wine for the evening. She sat up a table in the food area and
assisted guests with their beverages throughout the evening.
Tables for the auction items were donated by the Logan County Fair
Board, with transportation to the event donated by Illinois American
Water. Don Peasley provided the guest seating for the evening.
The Logan County royalty was on hand for the evening. The night
began with Little Miss Kodi Eigenbrod, Junior Miss Ellie Wrage, and
Miss Logan County Fair Queen Ellyn Martinez. Unfortunately Junior
Miss Ellie had to leave before the night was over for a school
activity. But Little Miss Kodi and Miss Ellyn stayed the night and
assisted with the live auction.
Once again this year, Mike Maske donated his services as auctioneer.
New this year, auctioneer Ty Tucker joined in the fun, assisting
Maske, half of the time helping spot and encourage bidders, and half
of the time calling the auction while Maske assisted with spotting.
The two auctioneers have a talent for energizing the crowd, and
thanks in no small part to their high energy encouragement, bids
went very high throughout the evening.
In all it was a grand night, with lots of fun, lots of bidding
opportunities, and lots of money brought in for the American Cancer
Society.
Bill Post and Tonita Reifsteck recognized
When the silent auction portion of the night closed a just after 6
p.m., the planning committee came to the front of the room.
Introductions were made of the committee members then a special
guest was asked to come to the front of the room.
Kathleen Brumbaugh is a long-term breast cancer warrior/survivor.
She has experienced many recurrences of breast cancer in various
regions of her body. LDN first met Kathleen back in the day of the
official Relay for Life all night events. Brumbaugh was first
diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007 and immediately became a
proponent of the American Cancer Society. She attended nearly every
Relay for Life event when she was physically able. She helped form a
breast cancer support group in Logan County, and did all that she
could to encourage a positive attitude among warriors.
She has been for the last few years making blankets from left over
Relay for Life Survivor tee-shirts and donating them to the Pink
Pumpkin Auction.
Earlier this year, she contacted the committee and asked if she
could have the floor at this year’s event for a special recognition
of two long-term Relay for Life supporters.
Bill Post for more than 25 years has been involved with Relay for
Life. He has been almost solely responsible for the luminaria
project that was a tradition of the original Relay format and is now
a big part of the Pink Pumpkin Auction.
Tonita Reifsteck has been involved with Relay for Life practically
as long as Post. For years she worked to collect names of current
cancer survivors, getting them special tee-shirts and helping to
coordinate the survivor dinner the night before the official Relay
event.
Thursday night, Smith introduced Brumbaugh, saying that she has been
a friend for several years, she has endured numerous cancer events,
but always with a smile on her face and a positive attitude. Smith
said that Brumbaugh would never consider herself as a cancer
“victim.” Smith said, “she is a warrior, a survivor, she’s strong,
she’s brave, she’s beautiful, but she is not a victim.”
Brumbaugh came to the front and asked that Post and Reifsteck come
up and test out the sofa in the middle of the room, donated to the
auction by Jake Johnson of Jake’s Furnishings in Lincoln. When the
two had joined her, Brumbaugh presented Post with a hand crochet
luminaria bag with a commemoration inscribed noting his many years
of working on the luminaria project.
Reifsteck was gifted with a pillow made from survivor tee-shirts.
[to top of second column] |
Brumbaugh then said that there is often comments made about all of
us living within six degrees of separation. She said that with
breast cancer there are far fewer than six. She asked that every
warrior/survivor raise their hand, and a large number of people did
so. Brumbaugh said that this was the first degree. She then asked if
there were any medical professionals in the room, doctors, nurses,
or nurses assistants. One person raised her hand. Brumbaugh said
that was the second degree. Then she asked for a show of hands
anyone who had ever offered care or support to a breast cancer
warrior. Again, a very large number of people raised their hand.
Brumbaugh said that the end result then was that within the room,
the majority of the people present were within three degrees of
separation from a breast cancer warrior or survivor.
Along the tables of the live auction were all the luminaries of the
night. Brumbaugh was asked to lead a moment of silence in memorial
and honor of warriors passed and in respect for their surviving
loved ones.
With that moving moment concluded, it was time to lighten things up
and get the live auction going.
The tale of the little orange and black quilt
There were many high auction items at the 2023 Pink Pumpkin
Fundraiser Auction. Thanks to a match on the first $1,000 item the
highest fundraising item of the night was a little orange and black
quilt with a Halloween theme.
The story of this little quilt begins at the Clinton Pork and Apple
Festival. That is where the quilt was spied by local businessman
Seth Goodman. It was a quilt and applique piece made by Marsha
Hurley, whom of course, Goodman knew.
Goodman posted the quilt on his social media page, but then, he
decided that instead of keeping it, he would let the little piece
work well for a good cause, and he donated it to the Pink Pumpkin
Auction.
The quilt was about the fifth item to come up for bid on Thursday
night. Let us set the scene by saying that throughout the night, it
is typical for bids to go higher the closer to the end we get, so
when the little piece started climbing into the hundreds, it was
quite a surprise.
As it approached $1,000, Karen Castelein and Nila Smith, the owners
of Lincoln Daily News, gave the nod, and auctioneer Mike Maske
announced that if the quilt went to the thousand-mark, LDN would
match it.
The thousand-mark came quickly after that. But it didn’t stop there.
A bidding war was afoot, and while we can’t say who was bidding
against her, we do know who the winner was, Jane Bryson!
With the match and the top bid, the quilt brought in a total of
$3,000 for the American Cancer Society.
That is exciting news, and it is just one of the auction items that
left the building Thursday night with winning bids exceeding $2,000!
Thanks so much to Seth Goodman for donating the quilt, Mike Maske
for doing an astounding job selling the quilt and Jane Bryson for
having such a heart for the American Cancer Society and buying the
quilt.
Ty Tucker gets $550 for an Annie Boyer Pie then gets the pie
Thursday evening was the first time that local auctioneer Ty Tucker
participated in the Pink Pumpkin Fundraiser Auction. Tucker like
Maske, donated his time and talent to the auction and gave 110
percent of himself to raising money for the American Cancer Society.
At the beginning of the evening, Maske took the lead on calling the
auction, but he turned the calling over to Tucker just before an
Annie Boyer Chocolate Pecan Pie came up for auction. Tucker prefaced
the bidding telling the audience that they might not know he used to
be a pretty chucking little kid, and he lived right down the road
from Annie Boyer. He noted that in his youth he had enjoyed many
Annie Boyer pies.
Then he began calling the auction, raking in the bids and bringing
in a whopping $225 for the pie.
The winner, was Mike Maske, who quickly announced, “Sell it again.”
Tucker took the challenge and the second time around the pie brought
in $200 and was won by Tim Canady, who following Maske’s lead yelled
“sell it again.” And Tucker was off for a third round. This time the
home-made pie brought in $125 for a total of $550 for the night.
Surprisingly the buyer, Lois Renfro then announced that she was
giving the pie to Tucker for him to enjoy.
Later in the auction a second Boyer pie was presented, this one
being a Bourbon Pecan which brought $275. Two more Boyer pies were
featured in the silent auction, a cherry and an apple.
Little Miss Kodi and Lorrie Paige
This year, the auction team included auctioneers Mike Maske (far
left) and Ty Tucker with Cindy Guyett assisting.
Also assisting at the Thursday evening Pink Pumpkin Fundraiser
Auction was Little Miss Logan County Kodi Eigenbrod and Miss Logan
County Fair Ellyn Martinez. The lovely ladies did a remarkable job.
At the end of the bidding, the item was won by Lorrie Paige of Bee’s
Landscaping. Paige then gifted the “Mexican” pumpkin with purple
sombrero filled with candy to Little Miss Kodi. The item, donated by
United Community Bank was filled with candy and also had a gift card
for additional purchases.
The gesture on Paige’s part earned her a well-deserved hug from
little Miss Kodi.
[Nila Smith with photos by Stephanie
Hall]
 |
