By DANIEL HUMAN
It seemingly was junk that filled the Kokomo Event Center on Sunday — opened Wheaties cereal boxes, Coca-Cola bottles aged yellow and a ratty biography of Fred Astaire.
But with hundreds of people perusing the aisles of the We Care Wrap-up Auction, nearly every misfit item had an owner by the end of the day.
The nonprofit organization had the auction to clear out the thousands of donated items it did not sell during its annual telethon, which was Dec. 4-6.
Auctioneers prattled through bids as people shot their arms up to buy anything from furniture to Reynolds Wrap.
We Care did not have the earnings from the wrap-up auction available Sunday, volunteer Becky Varnell said, but they should be ready later today.
The organization raised about $300,000 before Sunday’s auction. More than $200,000 came from the telethon, with an addition $55,980 in donations, and about $45,000 came from the Trim-A-Tree festival auction.
The wrap-up auction began with a boost in donations almost as large as the telethon’s.
Mike Wyant, who manages the We Care Park, and Darrell Blasius, who owns the We Care Christmas tree house, collectively donated $54,200.
Wyant, who donated $50,100, said the park raised about $43,000 last year. The park has had increased earnings for 14 out of the last 15 years, he said.
“They just do it to help others,” he said. “This community supports us so much.”
Not all contributions were four or five figures.
Gail Ennis said he has driven from his Flora home to buy at the We Care auction for the last five years.
This year’s investment was a $40 pink bicycle that he plans to give to his 2-year-old granddaughter.
“I always try to buy something just to help and push,” he said.
Varnell said We Care plans to present allocations to its five agencies and one fund Wednesday during fundraising partner WWKI’s radio show “Male Call.”
We Care disburses funds to the Kokomo Rescue Mission, The Salvation Army, Goodfellows, Bona Vista Rehabilitative Services, the Mental Health America of Howard County’s Holiday Gift Lift program and the We Care Hope Fund.
• Daniel Human is a Kokomo Tribune staff writer. He can be reached at 765-454-8570 or at daniel.human@kokomotribune.com.
