GORE BAY—Not only was the Gore Bay Community Hall filled to capacity, but the venue was completely filled with produce, baking, gift certificates and much, much more as the Rotary Club of Gore Bay held its annual Fall Harvest Auction on the Thanksgiving weekend Saturday, October 12.
“This year’s auction was a great success,” stated Dave Rogalsky, Rotary president. “The generosity of businesses and individuals from across Manitoulin Island and farther afield in donating goods or services to support this fundraising auction is beyond compare. Many local residents also donated an array of fresh produce and home baked goods which were a highlight for the auction. We owe a huge thank you to everyone who donated and purchased items and especially to Robbie White for volunteering his time and talents to make this event such a success.”
Mr. Rogalsky noted, “over 150 individuals and businesses provided many items and gift certificates and produce for the auction.”
Mr. White, who also served as the auctioneer, told the massive crowd on hand, “Thank you or the tremendous turnout here today. The Rotary Club has worked very hard putting this all together.”
“It has been a great experience working with the Rotary Club for the past five-six years. And everyone again this year, as has been the case in past years, has been very generous in donating items and products to auction off. There are a lot of terrific prizes to be won today.”
The community hall was packed with bidders on hand well before the start of the auction at 10 am. Among the many items up for bid included a plane trip ride around Manitoulin Island provided by the Gore Bay Flying Club, three-hour forging session with blacksmith Adam Lapell, a North Channel Cruise Lines trip for two to Killarney along with lunch at Herbert Fisheries, gift certificates worth $200 from Sukhdev Restaurant.
One of the new gift contributors this year was Island Angler Outfitters which provided a six-hour trip of the North Channel for four people. The Owen Sound Transportation Company provided eight one-way passes (or four return trips) sailing from Tobermory to South Baymouth. There was a golf package with all three Manitoulin courses providing an 18-hole round of golf for four people with carts, a Split Rail Brewing beer tasting for four people, several local artists paintings, a shower/bath, tires, pumpkins, produce galore and much, much more.
Mr. Rogalsky explained, “the funds raised through this auction are utilized to support a variety of things including community members in need with medical emergencies or through catastrophic loss, student bursaries, local youth activities and leadership skills development, and other community services such as the Angel Bus, Manitoulin Family Resources food aid and Christmas hampers, help to local school breakfast programs and the Manitoulin Secondary School food locker, support to the Food Cupboard at Lyons Memorial United Church, among others. In the past year, Gore Bay Rotary has distributed more than $34,000 in assistance. The proceeds from this year’s fall harvest auction will enable us to provide financial help where and when it is needed.”
