By Bonnie Culverhouse
Lea Ratcliff and her crew work hard every year to ensure the Minden Auction benefitting St. Jude has outstanding and unusual items to auction and raffle.
“Last year was the first time we raffled a tattoo,” Ratcliff laughed. “When I put it up on the website, I misspelled tattoo.”
It was so popular, this year, they are offering two tattoo packages.
They are the folks at Swan and Crow Tattoo Parlor and they are offering a three-hour session – a $550 value for a $5 raffle and a Tap-Out Session, which is up to 12 hours of as many tattoos as you would like or can handle during that time period – a $1200 value for a $10 winning ticket.
If you already have one, maybe it’s time for another one. If you always wanted one, here’s your chance to justify getting one by giving to a great cause at the same time.
Afraid of needles?
Mike’s Hometown Spirits can help with that. Just win his Bourbon Package and take a couple of sips before you go (use a designated driver, please). That package has seven high-end bourbons – a value of $1,345 for a $10 raffle ticket, donated by Mike Elshout.
There are even more fun and new items.
Are you a farmer? Ever wanted to be one?
Don and Sonya Brand of Missouri are donating a Kubota L2502 4WD Tractor with loader for a $25 raffle ticket. It is a $29,819 value. Winner must pay tax, title and license fee.
Brand is a long-time friend of the Minden auction and often comes to Minden to donate his time and money to work it.
“He raised the money to donate the tractor – we are buying it locally from the Kubota place in Bossier,” Ratcliff said.
A popular item from last year is back – the chicken coop, donated by a family from Farmerville – Eric and Lisa Hammons with Chick Chick Coop. It can house up to 12 chickens.
“We offered to help pay for it, and they wanted to do the whole thing,” Ratcliff said.
There are two electric bikes – one is a camouflage off-road 2024 Predator bike. It is valued at $4,195 for a $10 ticket, donated by Paul and Grant Reed and Elise, Judson, John, Phillip and Camille Harper. The other is a white Velotric fold bike, valued at $1,300, also a $10 ticket, donated by Carter and Kim Lewis.
Ratcliff is adding new items to the website every day and many are favorites such as the playhouse, gift cards, electronics, grills, golf carts, firearms and who can resist cold hard cash? Don’t forget about the grand prize – a 2025 GMC Yukon or $50,000 in cash. A $100 ticket. Check it out and start purchasing raffle tickets and shirts immediately. Don’t miss out on the apparel. Visit mindenstjude.com .
