For more information or a taped actuality, contact: Darnell Holopirek, 620-792-9367.

August 3, 2005
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Story by Michael Dawes
dawesm@bartonccc.edu

“Sailing for Scholarships” Gets Under way

College’s 27th Annual Big Benefit Auction Tickets Now On Sale Through Aug. 21

Tickets for Barton County Community College’s 27th Annual Big Benefit Auction, themed “Sailing For Scholarships,” went on sale Monday and are being sold through Aug. 21.

This year’s auction is set for 6 to 9 p.m. Sept. 10 at the Highland Hotel Convention Center, Great Bend.

The silent auction begins at 6 p.m. and the live auction follows an hour later. Heavy hors d’oeuvres will be served. Dessert, coffee and a dance will follow the auction until midnight. For the second straight year, D.J. Bobby Wild will play music from the 1960s and ‘70s, during the three-hour dance.

Tickets are $25 a piece, or make it a group event by purchasing a table for friends, employees and business associates. Purchase tickets by contacting the BCCC Foundation office, 620-792-9306. Tickets will not be sold at the door the night of the event.

Highlighting the list of auction items this year, in keeping with a nautical theme, is a new 12-foot Hobie Bravo Catamaran with trailer, Donated by Dove Buick Olds Cadillac Inc., Great Bend, the sailing craft is Hobie's latest contribution to sailing simplicity, according to Hobie’s Web site at http://www.hobiecat.com/sailing/models_bravo.html. The Web site also states that the Bravo's large sail area makes it responsive in light winds, while the roller-furling main and square-top sail design allow for controlled sailing in all wind conditions.

Staying with the nautical theme, Dr. Scott Brantley is donating a day of sailing on his sailboat at Lake Cheney.

Another interesting item being auctioned is a University of Kansas basketball and a square of basketball floor from the James Naismith Court in Allen Fieldhouse. Both collectors’ items are autographed by Jayhawk point guard Aaron Miles, who was a four-year starter at KU and finished his stellar collegiate career last season. Both items include certificates of authenticity.

The College’s Community Education department is offering a business and professional day to auction goers.

Included in the package are costs for an instructor, the meeting room at Camp Aldrich, the necessary equipment to instruct 10 to 15 people, and participation in Camp Aldrich’s four-hour ABLE course with a qualified instructor. A continental breakfast and lunch will be served at the professional day.

The College’s Community Education department is offering a business and professional day to auction goers. Included in the package are costs for an instructor, the meeting room at Camp Aldrich, the necessary equipment to instruct 10 to 15 people, and participation in Camp Aldrich’s four-hour ABLE course with a qualified instructor. A continental breakfast and lunch will be served at the professional day.

Tickets for four to the Vienna Boys Choir performance, scheduled Feb. 25 at the Great Bend City auditorium are being auctioned. Donated by Mary Walts, the package also includes a Vienna dinner at Lizzies Cottage, Great Bend, served with Vienna wine.

Fine dining can also be purchased in the form of a gourmet dinner for six, served at the highest bidder’s home by gourmet chef Bob Loss and Justin Engleman. The cooking tandem offer a choice of four menus, each comprising a seven-course meal and wine.

Another auction item that involves prepared food is a “Country Chuck Wagon” Sunday morning breakfast, prepared by Terry and MeLeesa Stueder. The highest bidder can have his breakfast cooked in traditional or Mexican style.

Barton will utilize the longtime fund-raising buffalo head, Old Bill, to help garner donations in honor of dedicated College supporters Don and Phyllis Whelan. A similar arrangement the past two years, honoring Dale and Donna Oliver last year and Jim and Jo Heaton in 2003, netted $20,525 in unrestricted funds that allowed the Foundation to award scholarships to those students who did not meet criteria set forth by endowments. This year, in honor of the Whelans, the BCCC Foundation is seeking donations in $50 increments for the auctioning of Old Bill. The money raised for Old Bill, will be awarded next fall in the name of Don and Phyllis Whelan.

A three-day-and-night stay in Branson, Mo., is up for bidding. Dr. Bill and Mary King donated use of a three-bedroom, three bath condominium in Branson that includes a small kitchen.

The Great Bend Tribune donated two tickets to next summer’s U.S. Senior Open at Prairie Dunes Country Club in Hutchinson.

Other items available at the auction are the Gus Shafer bronze, titled “Sundown,” donated by Sunflower Bank; a 4-foot remote-control sailboat, donated by Credit Union of America; and advertising packages from Cox Communications and NRG Radio, formerly Waitt Radio, which owns KZLS Radio, 107.9 FM; an oak filing cabinet by Office Products Incorporated, and a set of bifocal contacts donated by McCaulley Optometric.

This year’s silent auction includes a large selection of merchandise that auction-goers will have an opportunity to win, but bidding on the item is usually the enjoyable part of the process. Attendees have fun moving down the row of tables and trying to silently outbid other interested bidders from among the nearly 150 displayed items.

Five fish bowl drawings will be held at the auction. Auction attendees can donate $5 for one ticket or $20 for five tickets and place those tickets in the fish bowls of their choice. They must be present at the time of each drawing to win the prize. Fish bowl No. 1, donated by Western Beverage, Great Bend, contains an audio unit with CD-R compatibility with 20-track programming and digital tuning. Dawson Jewelers Designs by Dana is donating a customized man’s signet ring in fish bowl No. 2. The ring is made from 14-karat yellow gold and sterling silver with the College’s Cougar logo cast in yellow gold and outlined with blue enamel. Fish bowl No. 3 is a drawing for a Kirby General 4 sweeper, donated by Kirby of Great Bend. Golf professional Steve Gotsche donated a Nike navy and gray cart golf bag and a black and khaki PING golf bag for fish bowl No. 4. Fish bowl No. 5 comprises $270 cash.

Art collectors will be able to purchase works by local artists at this year's auction. Paintings donated by Barton art instructor Steve Dudek will be up for bidding. Also available will be pottery works donated by Steve Carney and Barton art instructor Bill Forst. And, local artist Lynn Kaiser donated one of her woodcarvings for the auction.

“We’ve had more individuals donate this year and we’ve picked up several new donors, mostly because of the effort by our dedicated volunteers,” said Barton’s Director of Institutional Advancement Darnell Holopirek. “We’re very appreciative of the support we’ve received from everyone who has donated items, services, and/or shared the results of their creativity and talents for this event.”

This year’s auction is being co-chaired by Great Bend residents and Barton graduates David and Shellie Thill.

“It is so gratifying for me to see the commitment of both Dave and Shellie, from their visit back to the campus to familiarize themselves with all the new programs and initiatives, to their unbridled enthusiasm and commitment to make this event a successful one,” said Holopirek. “The outcome of this event will be directly related to their hands-on efforts on behalf of our students.”

The Big Benefit Auction is the Foundation's longest running fund-raiser. All money raised goes toward academic scholarships and program enhancements at Barton.