North Webster Community Center’s Fundraising Auction and Dinner will be Saturday, Oct. 7. Shown are members of the NWCC board of directors from left Ron Schenkel, Sherm Goldenberg, Matt Nei, Paula Slick, President Dennis Wagoner, Emily Shipley, Lloyd Shroyer, Kim Jones, Lori Mark, and Phil Jenks. Not shown: Ed Clayton and Sue Ann Mitchell. InkFreeNews photo by Phoebe Muthart.

By Phoebe Muthart
InkFreeNews

NORTH WEBSTER — The 15th annual North Webster Community Center Fundraising Auction and Dinner will be from 6-9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7, at 301 N. Main St., North Webster.

Doors open at 5 p.m. for the center’s biggest fundraiser of the year. The event will feature silent and live auctions, dinner and a big prize raffle.

New this year is that the silent auction will also be digital so that those who cannot attend may bid on items online.

The large silent auction features 100 to 150 items. Instead of the hallways, silent auction items will be inside the Culver Wellness Center, located inside the NWCC, as well as online. People will be available to help get attendees registered; bidding on the silent auction items will be by phone only that night.

The live auction is conducted by Brian Wuthrich of Hahn Auctioneers.

There are 50 live auction items this year. Some of the items include: two Trek eBikes, two Easy Go electric golf cart, opening day Chicago Cubs tickets, an Indy car experience, a kayak, Grossnickle Eye Lasik surgery, a 9 millimeter Smith and Wesson, two tickets to the Taylor Swift concert in Indianapolis, and Xfinity Series autographed car parts, among others.

Also new this year are reserved tables available for eight people for $500.

“As the new executive director, I am getting a behind-the-scenes perspective of all the hard work that has gone into this year’s auction by the board of directors. They are putting together an incredible evening that will benefit the center, but it will also be a really fun evening for the community to get together, eat great food, have a lot of laughs, and a chance to walk away with some great prizes,” said Emily Shipley.

A dinner ticket is $40 and includes entry, bid number, dinner and one entry into the big prize raffle.

For a $20 raffle ticket, one can be entered into the big prize raffle. People do not have to be present to win. Tickets are available at the NWCC office or online.

The big prize raffle is a year’s worth of groceries from Neighborhood Fresh, for $200 a month for a year; a year’s worth of gas from Family Express, $100 a month for a year; a $1,000 cash grand prize; and eight $500 cash prizes.

Last year, the event raised over $111,000.

Dinner, provided by Chubbie’s, consists of Italian grilled chicken breast, pork medallions, smashed red potatoes, green beans with bacon and onions, assorted rolls, Italian salad, and desserts, such as cupcakes, cookies and pies.
Also, there will be a cash bar and soft drinks will be available for purchase.

This year’s annual sponsors are: Ace Hardware, Pro Wake Watersports, Barts Watersports, Cottage Watchman Security Systems, Dockside Gifts and Apparel, Sock’s Marina, Mohawk Pier, The River Coffee Shop and the Griepentrog family.

The event’s sponsors are: The Papers Inc., Lake City Bank, T.L. Jackson Construction, Dave’s Electric, Cooling and Heating, Linda Stookey, Clayton’s Garden Center, and Troy Ousley Seawall Company.

For more information, to bid on items or purchase tickets, visit nwcommunitycenter.org. Visit www.facebook.com/nwcommunitycenter for the most up-to-date details closer to the auction.