Kenneth Brown
of The Crossroads
Jamie Ham of Brock checks out
a cow skull painted and donated
by Clayton Strutt before it was
sold at the auction.
The Brock Community Centre is going to get a much-needed new roof thanks to the money raised at a successful community auction in Brock on the weekend.
Approximately 110 people attended a goods and services auction on Feb. 10 at the community centre. The campaign to raise money for the roof replacement project began after the general election in 2016, and the auction helped to finish off the campaign.
The auction raised more than $85,000 for the project. The fundraiser included a live auction, silent auction and a bucket raffle. People also had the opportunity to buy single rafters for $500 each, so there were several ways for people to make contributions to the cause.
According to organizers, a total of 34 rafters were sold at the event and more people have come forward since the event to purchase rafters. The Village of Brock owns the building and village officials are preparing to accept bids.
The community centre is an old school building. The engineering work must be completed before the project is tendered because there is a two-foot difference in height from one side of the building to the other side, so the rafters have to be engineered to fit the project. The goal is to start work in the summer.
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Mel Glencross volunteered his time to be the auctioneer for the fundraiser. There were about 50 items in the live auction and the items included various goods and services. There were about 20 items in the silent auction, and also in the bucket raffle.
The village’s mayor, Vance Brost, welcomed people to the fundraiser, and he explained the rules of engagement for the auction. Before the bidding got underway, Brost asked everyone to think about the number of times they had walked through the doors of the community centre for various reasons.
He noted that people will have gone to school at the building. He said the building has been used for other fundraisers, community events such as fowl suppers and paint nights and for celebrations such as birthdays and anniversaries. The building is used as the village’s administration office and as the community’s fitness centre, so there is a long list of reasons for people to support the event.
Corbin St. John focuses on
shaving the head of Ken
Brown with the help of Keri
Signarowski during the goods
and services auction on Feb. 10
at the Brock Community Centre.
“We use this building a ton and it’s been very (good) to us,” Brost said, adding that the building is a dear friend to the community. “It never asks for any payback, but tonight we’re asking for payback. It needs us to help it to put a roof on to keep the water out of the place, so we can create more memories going forward.”
The bidding was fast and furious at times. Several of the hottest items were agricultural services such as custom seeding or fertilizer application. The agricultural services sold for anywhere from $1,200 to $1,500 during the live auction.
One person donated six hours of light landscaping that sold for $850 while five meals delivered in the field for up to five people sold for $675. Food was another hot commodity with a basket of baked goods selling for $375 and a pig, a whole pig donated by the Brock Pig Barn, selling for $250.
Other interesting items included a handmade quilt that sold for $900 and a hand painted cow skull that sold for $150. A hot air balloon ride for two people sold for $750 and tickets to the championship weekend at the 2018 Tim Hortons Brier sold for $675.
A surprise auction item was neither a good nor a service. A member of the recreational hockey team in Brock had been growing his hair since 2012 and the highest bidder won the right to shave his head. The hair will be donated to make wigs for people diagnosed with cancer and the idea raised $1,050 in the auction. Organizers of the fundraiser say they are pleased with the success of the event.
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