Club hauls in the cash

The Blaine Boys and Girls Club Bids for Kids dinner and auction raised more than expected this year, almost tripling their initial goal of $26,000.
Nicole Harr, branch director of the club, said on the night of the event, the advisory board had made a personal goal of $50,000. The auction ended up with more than $87,000 from community members and local businesses.

“We thought we were wishful thinking but I guess not,” she said. “And compared to years past, it’s just amazing.”

Harr said the money will go towards covering basic operations of the club, staffing and programs and after-school activities for young people by qualified, professional adults.

Auction items included a Moroccan dinner for six prepared by a professional chef; a Labradoodle puppy (a cross between a Labrador retriever and a standard Poodle) that went for $700. Also, the “Sponsor a Child,” a direct fund that supports daily access to after-school programs, raised more than $16,000. Other large bids included a vacation package for two with round-trip airline tickets and a week stay at a Las Vegas resort that went for $1,400; two one-week stays in Cabo San Lucas, donated by Johnson Construction for $3,500 each; and a 12-day Holland America cruise for two for $3,500.

The event was sponsored by the Boys and Girls Club of Blaine, Nature’s Path, Liquid Transport International/Milky Way, Semiahmoo Resort, Johnson Construction and Coldwell Banker realtor Greg Flint. City manager Gary Tomsic auctioneered the event.

“It was totally unexpected and I think it shows that the community really supports the Boys and Girls Club,” Harr said. “It just shows that when you rally around something you can get it done.”