A Lego-themed Christmas tree and nearly 100 boxes of Lego were donated by the Kinsmen and auctioned off for $13,500. The Santa Claus Fund Charity Auction raised more than $75,000 on Thursday night at Dayz Off Pub.--News photo Lauren Thomson
lthomson@medicinehatnews.com
The Santa Claus Fund Charity Auction, hosted by Lorraine Schmaltz and auctioneer Darren Lutz, had its “best year yet,” raising $75,795 Thursday night at Dayz Off Pub, and surpassing a 30-year collective goal of $1 million.
Complete with a balloon drop at the final bid, Schmaltz said, “Towards the end of the night the energy was just bubbling. It was electric. It wasn’t like all of a sudden everybody got into it, but all of a sudden, everybody felt it. You feel it, you feel the happiness in your heart and it brings a grown man to tears.”
Deanna Doerksen, executive director of the Medicine Hat News Santa Claus Fund, agreed with Schmaltz.
“And there were lots of tears in the room that night.”
Robbie Wallace, attendee, hasn’t missed a single auction since its inception.
“I’ve been there since the very first one and it’s just kind of become a tradition over the years and it’s something that I don’t miss,” said Wallace. “It’s a good cause and it’s just a lot of fun.”
Wallace also has a reputation for buying many of the large stuffed animals each year and donating them to an organization of his choice. He says this year his – and a few others given to him from buyers at the end of the night – will be donated to the local Ronald McDonald House.
“I’ll still go until I can’t go,” Wallace said. “It’s been a great tradition and a great cause over the years. It’s helped a lot of families out, which is really good.”
Schmaltz said the auction ended at about 11:30 p.m.
“It went out with a huge bang, and I’m not just talking about the balloons, but very surprising dollar amounts on items,” said Schmaltz.
The three final bids of the night were the Esplanade star guitar, a Christmas themed wood carving by artist Marina Cole of Chainsaw Spirit and a Lego decorated Christmas tree donated by the Kinsmen. The star guitar was purchased for $2,300 and the wood carving went for $11,500. The Lego-themed Christmas tree, complete with Lego decorations and nearly 100 boxes of Lego donated by each Kinsman to go with it, went for $13,500.
“And then on top of that, the Yuill Family Foundation made a donation of $10,000 to the Santa Claus Fund to wrap up the auction,” said Doerksen. “The Yuill Family Foundation, Mr. Bill Yuill, have been very generous supporters of not only our organization, but the community at large. Mr. Yuill asked that his donation go to sporting goods for the Santa Claus Fund.”
Although Schmaltz is now stepping down after organizing the event for 30 years, she says she is not walking away from the charity completely, just handing the reigns over to someone else.
“I want to sit back and be the smiler instead of the one worried all night,” laughed Schmaltz. “I say it every year, the reason why I’ve done it for 30 years is it’s just so heartwarming.
You feel it in your heart, knowing that you just helped even one child. And I guess I have my hand in letting other people experience that; I can look around the room and I can see the big auctioneer Darren Lutz feeling it, and I can see the tough biker guys sitting in the corner feeling it, it’s just heartwarming to feel it. Just making sure a child gets Christmas, that’s what it’s all about.”
Doerksen said the SCF is grateful to Lorraine and Darren and Dayz Off Pub and the supporters and donors for “keeping the spirit of Christmas alive and well in our community.
“There will be lots of smiling faces on Christmas morning, that’s for sure.”
