After two nights, the Hopkinsville Rotary Auction is $87,105 ahead of last year’s auction at this point with a total of $183,452 raised so far.
If auction chairman Andrew Wilson can maintain the same pace through the auction’s conclusion on Saturday, Rotarians could be in a position to exceed last year’s mark, which raised a record $397,832.
Tuesday’s effort included reports from students at Hopkinsville’s three private schools, who contributed more than $5,000. University Heights Academy ($3,000), Heritage Christian Academy ($1,672) and Saints Peter and Paul Catholic School ($1,015) held bake sales and Rotary spirit week activities to raise money. Local public schools will begin reporting their efforts when Wednesday’s auction starts at 6 p.m. at the Memorial Building.
Now in its 72nd year, the auction raises money for the Rotary Scholars program, which guarantees a two-year scholarhsip to Hopkinsville Community College to every graduate of a high school in Christian County who has a minimum 2.5 grade point average.
No other scholarship program in the country is fully funded by a civic group supporting local students, said HCC President Alissa Young.
“What you are doing is changing lives,” Young said at the start of Tuesday’s auction.
Wilson said Rotarians need help from the community to finish out the week. He’s asking home cooks to bring cakes, pies, brownies and other desserts that can be sold in the Sweet Shop. In addition, the club is still accepting donated items to sell during the main auction.
Auction Info
- Where: Memorial Building, 1202 S. Virginia St.
- When: 6-9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 6-10 p.m. Friday and 6 p.m. until the last item is sold Saturday.
- Watch and Listen: On Hopkinsville Rotary’s website, on WHOP Radio 98.7 FM, or on Spectrum channel 376
- Bid: Call 270-885-7500
- Donate: On the club’s Hour and Goat Club site.
- Eat at the Diner: Lunch hours are 11 a.m.-1 p.m. through Friday; dinner is 5 to 8 p.m. through Saturday
- Special meals: Smoked chicken on Thursday, fish fry on Friday and ribeye sandwiches on Saturday.
The Week’s Tally
- Monday: $143,822
- Tuesday: $39,630
- Total So Far: $183,452
Jennifer P. Brown is co-founder, publisher and editor of Hoptown Chronicle. You can reach her at editor@hoptownchronicle.org. She spent 30 years as a reporter and editor at the Kentucky New Era. She is a co-chair of the national advisory board to the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues, governing board president for the Kentucky Historical Society, and co-founder of the Kentucky Open Government Coalition.
