By Paige Nash
The Minden St. Jude Auction is kicking off tomorrow February 9, and there is no denying the tremendous impact and reach the auction has developed over the years. It has transformed from a one-day radiothon that raised $10,000 to a four-day telethon that raises millions every year for the kids at St. Jude Research Hospital.
Whether you have tuned in to listen or watched the broadcast at home over the years, you will see the items that are donated by businesses across the parish that are up for raffle, you will hear about all the delicious food being sold every day, you will see the hundreds who come out on Saturday to participate in the Minden Run for St. Jude and you will hear the testimonies from loved ones who may have or had a child with cancer in their family.
What you might not see or hear about are the selfless volunteers who make sure this auction runs smoothly and to its full potential every year.
“Our volunteers are truly, truly our lifeline. Without these people this event would never be possible, “said Co-chair Laura Hollingsworth. “All of our volunteers stay with us from year to year, thank heavens. That’s how this event stays the success that it is – through the continuity of our volunteers.”
Rusty Johnson is a long-time volunteer who was originally from Minden, but now lives in Boston. Even though he now resides thousands of miles away, he still makes the trip to the city every year to serve as the producer/director over the televised portion of the auction.
It is a joint effort between Johnson and the Owner/Operator of KASO/KBEF Radio Mark Chreene, who have made sure the auction is now available for all to watch or listen to live.
The auction first began at KASO Studios in 1976 and stayed there until the early 1980s before it became such a huge event that it eventually had to be moved to the Civic Center. Chreene began working at the station in the fall of 1999 and helped with the auction for the first time in 2000.
“There is a lot that goes into the broadcast portion of the auction. It is a multi-media event, so we have to juggle traditional radio, cable access television and video streaming,” said Chreene. “Rusty Johnson and I have coordinated the video and audio for the past 20 plus years, so we have the setup for the auction pretty much streamlined, with very few hiccups – it’s a live event, there will be hiccups.”
The auction is important to Chreene for several reasons, one being that his wife, Sara, was diagnosed with Thyroid cancer in 1999. Sara was offered a spot at St. Jude despite being 19 years of age at the time and just out of the age range that St. Jude usually treats. The fact that she was from Minden had some influence on that offer.
Chreene is honored to carry on the tradition of broadcasting the auction.
“It’s a great way for our stations to give back to our community and help raise money for such a worthy cause,” said Chreene. “When I talk to other people in the radio industry, they have a hard time wrapping their minds around what we do and how much money we can raise in one weekend. I’m not sure what we do from a broadcasting standpoint would work in any other location than it would here in Minden. The relationship between the community and the station, especially during the auction, is a strong one.”
Volunteers are needed for many aspects of the auction including announcing, running the auction boards, taking donations and bids over the phone, inputting information into the computers, updating information on the website, selling t-shirts, serving food, tracking down sponsors and raffle items, and leading the other events that simultaneously take place during the auction.
For many of the volunteers, this is spread out not only during the weeks or months leading up to the four-day auction, but throughout the entire year.
Haley Vaughan Robinson has been working with Laura Spillers decorating the playhouse for the last 8 years, one of the most popular raffle items every year, built by the Minden Fire Department. For Robinson’s family, volunteering at the auction, freely offering their time, attention and love to raise money to fight childhood cancer has become a family tradition.
“I remember when my mom and aunt would answer phones at the auction when I was young. We always knew it was for a good cause, but as a bonus it was a fun weekend to be with friends at the Civic Center,” said Robinson. “My girls have grown up the very same way. The weekend of the auction, no one in our family has any other plans, It’s auction weekend in our house. It feels good to know that our small town can make such an impact for a worthy cause. We love St. Jude.”
This year will be the 28th year of volunteering for Sheilla Shirey who spends most of her time on the front-line computers.
“28 years ago, was the first time I walked in the civic center to volunteer because I couldn’t afford to contribute,” said Shirey. “There are so many just in our Minden area that have never been to the auction, and I was one of them. I just wish that they would come to see what all goes on.”
If you are unable to volunteer this year, you can still show your support by attending or tuning in. The auction will begin tomorrow, February 9 and run through Sunday.