18th Annual Chinese Auction Brings Funds to Fort Peck Theatre

The Fort Peck Fine Arts Council hosted the 18th Annual Chinese Auction on March 16 in the Cottonwood Inn and brought out attendees' competitive spirit, hoping to win one of the many prizes donated by local businesses and individuals. As of press time, final totals had not yet been determined, however Executive Director Jennifer Fewer noted the Council is really grateful and very happy with how well the event went.

The night consisted of not only the Chinese Auction, the live auction and the silent auction, but a number of games as well including fan favorites Heads or Tails and Bingo. During the first game of Heads or Tails, the competitiveness of attendees came out, as the final two went up to the front and strategized with each other to determine whether or not they were going to pick the same side or different sides of the coin. The winner ended up bringing home an XM Radio and when the game was played again later in the evening, a different winner brought home a drone.

New to this year's auction was the $1 Take-Out Box game, where 10 tickets could be purchased and each ticket is placed in a take-box of the person's choice to win prizes such as Chamber Big Bucks, a Sawyer Brown Ticket, gift cards to local businesses, and even a Cape Air round-trip ticket to Billings. Another fan favorite of the evening was Bingo, where there was a chance to to win a trip for two to Las Vegas or a Chrome book with anti-theft backpack. There was also a raffle sponsored by Reynolds where the winner took home a $200 gift card to the grocery store. The evening also consisted of attendees participating in a 50/50 drawing sponsored by the Fort Peck Fine Arts Council and a Wine Pull Game sponsored by Anne and David Bradley.

The most competitive game of the night was the various rounds of Chinese Auction where runners held up numbered signs, the numbers were called out at lightening speed and attendees had to wave dollar bills to those runners for a chance to win one of the 66 lots of goods and services available. As the rounds went on, the runners jumped, waved and did everything and anything to get the caller's attention, while attendees waved dollar bills every which way to have a shot on winning.

In between rounds of Chinese Auction and games, auctioneer Brian Austin volunteered his time and entertainment, allowing attendees to bid on high valued items such as an autographed Stan Lee Marvel animation art, a Sean R. Heavey framed landscape photo and a siged framed photo of Paul McCartney. Attendees also had the opportunity to silently bid on items including senior photo sessions, Oakley sunglasses, a wooden rocking chair and other assortment of gift baskets.

The event doesn't just come together in a day or even in a month. "We have 30 board members, and everyone takes a job. It's a huge group effort. The planning starts at the end of December with the planning and ordering of items, and goes through the day of the event. In addition to our board members, we also had at least 15 community members help," stated Fewer.

The proceeds for this year's event will be utilized as general funds, helping to offset the costs associated with actor wages and getting the season up and running for the year. "We always have to fundraise as it takes a lot to get a season up and going. We really like to keep our ticket rates at a reasonable price so people can afford to go to the shows each year," stated Fewer. "When we first did the auction 18 years ago, we tried it to see how it would go, and it was a success, so we keep doing it year after year." According to Fewer, the event brings in an average of between $15,000 to $20,000. Kari Prewitt, who emceed the event, stated during the evening, "We live in an amazing generous community."