Auctioneer Danny Westlake calls out bids as part of the Care Train of Union County auction at McAuliffe’s Ace Hardware. Auction officials said the annual event raised about $198,000.
(Journal-Tribune photo by Chad Williamson)
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Response to Care Train of Union County’s new online bidding option was so large, it nearly disabled the servers designed to handle it.
“We didn’t expect it to be that big of a thing,” said Dave Laslow, Care Train founder. “We knew there would be hiccups, but we didn’t expect this many people.”
Laslow said at one point there were 4,100 people trying to log onto the Care Train’s bidding site. “Fortunately, the problem’s didn’t impact the bidding,” Laslow said.
He said there was also an exceptional crowd at McAuliffe’s Ace Hardware for the organization’s annual fund-raising auction.
The online and in-person bidders raised about $198,000 at the auction, Laslow said. He said the organization will distribute $175,900 in food vouchers based on the donations.
“That is a record amount of food vouchers we have ever given out,” said Dan Fitzgerald, of the Care Train board.
Laslow said this year’s auction was “very successful and a lot of fun, as it always is.”
“But today is even better,” Laslow added.
Today volunteers will visit businesses around the community to collect toy barrels.
Jim Cesa, with the Care Train, said the organization will help provide toys for 640 children this year. In addition, food vouchers will be provided for 379 senior families, 90 disabled individuals and 257 families with children. Cesa said there are more than 2,000 individuals that will be helped.
“This is not just a Marysville thing,” said Cesa. “It is a countywide issue and we get support from the entire county — north, south, everywhere.”
Cesa said the number of those needing help is “up from last year considerably.”
He said this year the organization will help 180 children more than it did last year.
“It compares to where we were two to three years ago, as far as the need goes,” Cesa said.
Care Train will distribute toys and food vouchers Sunday at Dutch Mill Greenhouse.
Laslow said the annual benefit concert Saturday was also a success. He said the all of the donations collected have not been counted yet, but he believes they will total $8,000-$10,000.
“And it was just a fantastic evening of music and celebration,” Laslow said.
Board members said they appreciate all of the help from so many people involved with the Care Train.
“From the people that donate to the auction, to the people that bid, even if they don’t win, the buyers, those who adopt a child and buy toys for them, the people that help collect and distribute- everybody. Everyone helped make this happen and we just couldn’t do this without them all,” said Pam Sturwold, with the Care Train.
Officials said a variety of new partnerships, specifically mentioning the Richwood Bank and Imapct60, have helped the organization.
Laslow said Care Train is a lot of work, “but it is a lot easier to do with the support of a county that always opens their arms and their wallets.”