The Auction

The Mary Immaculate Catholic Church community is amazing. This past weekend they raised $18,500 through a silent and live auction! Just let that amount sink in for a minute. And while that amount alone might seem amazing, I think it is even more impressive when you learn that Mary Immaculate is a tiny little church in a town of about 1,800 people. The parish membership has all of about 30 families, but those families are do-ers! Movers and shakers, these folks!

Mary Immaculate is my childhood church and I love going back. In the fall/winter months there are several open spots in the pews, but the summer "lake" months usually have over 100 people crammed in on any given weekend. And I do mean crammed in. Standing in the aisles, pouring out the back doors. So much so that when the Spidle girls are in attendance my dad has to stand on guard at all times to make sure one of us doesn't pass out from the heat. You get the idea. I wish I had a picture to attach to this blog. The one attached is of my boys on the front steps this past Easter.

The auction itself was overwhelming, but in a good way. The dinner beforehand was perfect. Everyone pitched in. I think Patty and I cut 600 dinner rolls in half for the sandwiches and as usual my mom's efforts couldn't even be recorded in a single blog. Maybe they will get a blog all of their own. I'll just follow her around and log her every move. I digress. Back to the auction.

There was everything from little $2 dollar items to major pieces of furniture. My sister scored the DEAL of the night! She won a beautiful roll top desk/secretary for just $350. Going once, going twice, SOLD!! No one could believe she got it for such a steal. Especially when so many of the smaller items were going for that much and more.

The energy in the room was electric. It was so much fun to see my dad and Mark L. up at the front calling the bids. I could have just sat there and watched them all night. At times they were in pefect unison in their nearly matching island print shirts, gesturing from one bidder to the next, to the next, to the next! And loving every single minute of it. You could see it in their faces. Their excitement was contagious as evidenced by the nearly $10,000 that was raised from the silent auction alone.

And I would be remiss if I didn't mention Missy over to the side. Quietly and diligently entering all of the data into the computer to print up everyone's receipts. Those Liggits know how to run an auction! What a night!

Amen, Father Bob. Amen.