Part raffle, part auction and all fun, Optimist Quarter Auction planned
January 11, 2017
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula News
Part raffle, part auction and all fun, the Optimist Club of Santa Paula is staging its first Quarter Auction January 28, a fundraiser that works somewhat like bingo but involves a numbered paddle, lots of quarters, a numbered ball and prize drawings.
It also involves integrity, according to Optimist District Lt. Governor Cathy Hicks.
“It’s done on the honor system,” as all numbers are used for the drawing of prizes that players buy-in for using quarters.
“If someone wins but didn’t put in the quarters they opt out,” to allow another draw.
Tickets are only $25 each and include dinner prepared by the popular Garden Market; the Quarter Auction will start at 5:30 p.m. at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 136 S. Ojai St.
Tim Hicks, Cathy’s husband, is the Optimist Club President and familiar with the game, well, at least the integrity part: “We went to an Optimist Quarter Auction in Valencia and the last item Tim did not bid on, but his number was called! He said he hadn’t bid so they had to call someone else.”
Ultimately, said Cathy Hicks, the rules of the game are secondary to the fundraising it provides the local Optimist Club.
“A number of Optimist Clubs in the Pacific Southwest District have this event as a fund raiser. When we were without the Rotary Pumpkin Patch,” which was closed for two years to find a new location, “we started looking at this event to help raise money to carry on the programs for kids and the community. This is our first time doing this event and the idea is to make some money and have a good time.
“This will be our biggest fundraiser to help us continue our support for the youth of Santa Paula. We have started an Octagon Club at the high school, a Jr. Optimist Club at Glen City School and are in the process of starting a club at Isbell Middle School.”
Hicks said a goal of Optimist is to have “A large amount of the $25 to $50 range prizes. We are receiving help from the Canyon Country Optimist Club, they have been staging Quarter Auctions for about eight years,” and are experts at the game.
It will be a casual night of fun and fundraising.
“We’re getting tons of gift baskets and prizes from the community,” both individuals and organizations. “Tickets are only $25 each and that gets you in, gets you a paddle, gets you a delicious fajita dinner and a soda. The Knights of Columbus will be running a no-host bar.”
Hicks said her own experience with Quarter Auctions has been positive: “We had a lot of fun and even though we didn’t win anything we enjoyed it. It’s just a real fun atmosphere and the nice thing about Santa Paula is pretty much everyone is going to know each other and be enjoying something that hasn’t been done in town before. We’ll have plenty of quarters for players. A Quarter Auction is somewhat hard to explain but easy to get into.”
“Come and have a good time,” urged Tim Hicks.
Cathy Hicks said “We are looking for any crafts, gift cards, gift baskets, bottles of wine, and monetary donations from our community to help us have a great fundraiser. We look forward to a wonderful event with the support of the community!”
Check in will be at 5:30 p.m. with dinner at 6 p.m. The Quarter Auction will begin at 7 p.m.
Dress is casual.
Tickets are available at Santa Paula Salsa Co.-Red Hot Foods, 820 Railroad Ave., at the Santa Paula Times, 120 Davis St. and from any of the Optimist Club’s 20 members.
For more information, donations or to purchase tickets call Cathy Hicks 805-625-3259 or Chanda Stockton 805-229-5372.
