Quarters 4 the Community Auction Friday

Milbank’s Quarters 4 the Community is supporting the It Only Takes a Spark Cancer Walk with its biannual quarter auction Friday, November 4, at the Lantern Inn Supper Club. Doors open at 6 p.m. The auction starts promptly at 7 p.m. Nearly 100 items will be auctioned. Guests bid on the items for the cost of one quarter per bid with the maximum bid of 75 cents. A 50/50 drawing and a raffle will also take place. All proceeds go to the Cancer Walk. Milbank’s Quarters 4 The Community group simply helps organize the event and lines up the vendors.

Milbank’s Quarters 4 the Community raises funds for different causes. They conduct a quarter auction twice a year – in the fall and the spring. The event began nearly five years ago after local vendors, Carrie Novy, Amanda Hickman, and Lisa Maunu, participated in a quarter auction in Watertown. The trio collaborated to bring the fundraiser to the Milbank Area. The group began as Milbank’s Quarters 4 Kids and raised $1,200 for the Milbank Bulldog Backpack Program, but quickly transformed into Quarters 4 The Community and expanded to assist other groups. “Last year, the quarter auction raised $5,000 for the Out Of The Darkness Suicide Walk,” stated Novy. “That money was raised in just one night!”

Vendors for the upcoming auction include: Tupperware, Avon, Perfectly Posh, 31, Scentsy, Norwex, Lovewinx, Tastefully Simple, LuLaRoe, and Pampered Chef. Each vendor donates four items to the auction. One special lot is six bottles of wine. Guests can bid on the wine for $1 each. “This auction also gives one lucky person the chance to win $100,” Novy said.

Several cancer walk teams have also donated items to be auctioned. “The core committee collected items from merchants in town and we thank them for their generosity,” stated Cancer Walk committee member Ann Tuchscherer. Donated items include: a bike, a hand-embroidered baby quilt, Bulldog wear, cheese boxes, a Bluetooth headset, yard art, gift certificates, and filled baskets. The donated items are auctioned off the same as the vendor items – at a quarter per bid.

A bid number is required to bid. A bid number can be purchased prior to the event for $3 or for $5 at the door. “Be sure to get yours in advance, because many times we have sold out before the event and they were unavailable at the door,” Novy said. Everyone who attends must purchase a number.

Quarters will be available for purchase at the event, but Novy encourages guests to bring at least a roll of quarters to get started. “We tend to run out of quarters, so it’s best to bring your own if possible,” she noted.

The Lantern Inn and Randy Patnoe will provide food and drinks for purchase. “We thank Randy for his generosity,” Novy said. “He gives back so much and is so accommodating. We really appreciate all his work for this good cause.”

Advance tickets can be purchased from any cancer walk team, the cancer walk core committee members, any of the vendors, or from Casey’s. Group’s looking to raise funds for a cause are encouraged to contact Novy or Hickman to complete an application.