Children's auction tops $600,000 mark for first time

BELMONT — In 1982, Warren Bailey created the WLNH Children’s Auction to benefit the Citizen Santa Fund, created in 1963 to address the needs of Lakes Region children and their families. That first children’s auction raised $2,100.

Just after noon on Saturday, the scene at Belmont’s Belknap Mall was one of jubilance and high energy as it was announced that the 2019 Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction, successor to the original auction, had raised $603,032. Bailey was in attendance and said, “I dream big, but not this big. This takes my breath away.”

It was the first time the auction has ever broken the $600,000 mark, auction coordinator Jennifer Kelley said Monday. The final tally was a considerable chunk larger than what was raised a year ago, when the auction took in $580,584.

The scene was a television studio at the Belknap Mall created by Lakes Region Public Access, which televised the full five days of the organization’s fundraiser on a variety of platforms. In addition, winning bidders were picking up their items on this, the last day of the 2019 effort. Also gathered on-camera Saturday were many participants in the annual Pub Mania event held at Patrick's Pub and Eatery in Gilford.

In many respects, this was Pub Mania’s day, and Patrick's co-owner Allan Beetle almost continually used the word “thanks” to express his gratitude to the many volunteers and Pub Mania participants who make the Children's Auction their mission.

When speaking to his Pub Mania volunteers, Beetle compared their efforts to climbing to the top of a mountain, and told them he looked forward to joining them on next year’s “thrill of the summit once again.”

Soon, with the anxious crowd becoming more excited by the minute, a large facsimile check of $355,453 was unveiled to uproarious applause from the Pub Maniacs who had again set a record for the size of their donation to the auction.

Then came another check unveiling – again to a raucous response – and the announcement everyone had been waiting for: the announcement that $600,032 was raised, almost $20,000 more than last year that will be distributed to the many beneficiaries of the Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction.

Ed Garland has seen the auction grow for “30-plus years.” He puts in about 50 hours a week as an official auction greeter. Being involved and watching its success has affected Garland.

“I have watched it grow, and it boggles my mind. It is so heartwarming to see all the participation,” said the retired fire and EMT professional.

This was Scarlett Nadeau’s second year as a member of the Pub Mania team, and she joined her grandfather, Paul Luff, for the festivities. Scarlett said she was happy to be part of the auction. “This is nice to raise money for people who need it,” said the 10-year old Elm Street School student.

Once the event closed, many began preparations for the 2020 auction.

During the week of the auction, 141 core volunteers contributed a total of 2,283 hours of labor. Expand that view to include groups of people who volunteered to man the phone bank for an hour, and that figure rises to 585 volunteers and 2,727 hours. Though none of those nearly 600 workers brought home a paycheck for their labors, auction chair Jaimie Sousa referred to it as “the happiest work environment ever.”