OABGC celebrates 50th year with auction
The Orrville Area Boys & Girls Club was the recipient of Deco-Crete Supply’s Project of the Year. Owners Jason and Traci Geiser and the Deco-Crete team donated materials and shared their time and talents by installing a 35-by-21-foot stamped concrete patio, as well as some upgrades to the flower beds, sheds and bleacher area.
The 2021 annual Kids Benefit Auction was held at The Pines Restaurant and Golf Club on Nov. 6. It was a special one, not only because it was the 50th anniversary of the Orrville Area Boys & Girls Club, but also because it was the 30th annual live auction.
The evening began with a special video presentation featuring club alumni from the past 50 years including Jerry Lane, one of the club’s early executive directors, and his family, several of whom are involved in the Boys and Girls Club organization including his daughter-in-law Kelly Zimmerman Lane, former National Youth of the Year winner from the club and previously serving as development director of Boys and Girls Clubs of Polk County; Mekos Denson, former executive director of Clubs in Florida, Atlantic City, Nevada and Georgia; and Tauzzari Robinson, CEO at Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Flint, Michigan.
Jim Clark, president and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of America, also shared a video message to those in attendance congratulating the club on its 50th year of serving youth. Josh Nolan, OABGC executive director, also shared his own history as a club kid and the impact the club had on him and his own career and life paths.
Emcee Keith Kennedy and auctioneer Bob Graber kicked off the auction.
“Whether you are here for the first time or you’re also attending your 30th live auction tonight, you will be witness to the great things this community does for the club,” said Graber, auctioneer of all 30 auctions.
Graber’s words proved to be prophetic when it came time for bidders to make purchases at the scholarship portion of the auction; many attendees generously opened their wallets and their hearts. One bidder even made a donation toward the sports program by purchasing eleven $250 Sports League Scholarships in memory of board member Brooks Curtis, whose football number was 11. Another donor gave thirty $100 sponsorships in honor of the 30th anniversary of the auction.
“The generosity of the community helped raise almost $180,000 this year, the club’s second highest auction to date,” said Shane Scarbrough, auction chair.
This year’s Corporate Sponsor was PNC Bank. Additional sponsors included Serpentini Orrville, All Creatures Veterinary Clinic & Lodge, Aultman Orrville Hospital, Deco-Crete Supply, MD Custom Builders, Mennonite Mutual, Monheim Dentistry, Ryan and Karrie McCallister, Tim and Jenny Smucker, Wenger Companies, Auble Funeral Homes, Lynn V. Horner, Dave and Kathy Yonto, and The Hummel Group.
The next auction is planned to return to the spring time line and is scheduled for May 21.
When the OABGC Board of Directors ran its last capital campaign in 2016, a patio was originally included in the expansion plans. Like most projects relying on donations from individuals and local businesses, the patio was taken out of the plans to help reduce project costs but was always kept in the back of the minds of staff and board members.
Several months ago the OABGC was contacted by Deco-Crete Supply and received word the club was the recipient of its Project of the Year. Owners Jason and Traci Geiser and the Deco-Crete team donated materials and shared their time and talents by installing a 35-by-21-foot stamped concrete patio, as well as some upgrades to the flower beds, sheds and bleacher area.
These projects gave new life to the outdoor areas of the club, transforming these spaces that are used by not only its KidStop, teen and sports programs, but also other community organizations.
For more information about Orrville Area Boys & Girls Club, visit www.oabgc.org or call 330-684-1888.