Local auctioneer Dan Westlake coaxes bidders for a supply of freezer beef during Saturday’s Union County Community Care Train Auction at McAuliffe’s Ace Hardware. The auction took in more than $212,000.
(Journal-Tribune photo by Chad Williamson)
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The Care Train of Union County leaders say they will give more than $200,000 in food vouchers thanks to the generosity of the community.
Pam Sturwold, executive director for Care Train of Union County, said Saturday’s auction and benefit concert raised $212,642. She said that after bills are paid, the organization will be able to purchase $201,920 in food vouchers to families in need.
“We are up quite a bit,” Pam Sturwold, executive director for Care Train of Union County. “It was an amazing year. People here are really amazing.”
Sturwold said this year the Care Train will help 291 families with children, 357 seniors, 625 children and 85 disabled adults. Sturwold said the number of those asking for assistance is “pretty close” to last year’s numbers.
Board member Dan Fitzgerald said the community has also been generous providing toys for families.
“All of the children got adopted this year,” he said, explaining that on occasions in the past, organizers have needed to scramble to provide toys for children that were not adopted by businesses or community members.
Focus now shifts from the auction to the toys. Care Train volunteers will begin picking up donated toys and taking them to Dutch Mill Greenhouse where they will be sorted and assigned for families. The Care Train toy distribution is scheduled for Sunday.
Officials said several changes to the auction format were well received.
“They worked really well,” Fitzgerald said.
He said the bid boards had a good response and allowed for additional focus on the live auction.
“We had a great, exciting live auction with really good numbers,” Fitzgerald said.
He said there were some technical issues but there was always an option for bidders to watch and monitor the auction.
Dave Laslow, Care Train founder, said that while the changes are exciting, the organization and event’s consistency is “just amazing, year after year, after year.” He said not many organizations can boast that they give out more than 94 percent of what they bring in. Laslow said 2018 is the 32nd year for the Care Train. He said he believes that consistency has built a trust in the community.
“I think that is another reason the community supports us so well,” Laslow said.
The founder said the event and organization have grown over the years. He said he appreciates the thousands who bid and those who volunteer.
“It is amazing the individuals who put time and effort into this and it showed with what we were able to do,” Laslow said.
Fitzgerald added, “We are pretty proud right now. We hope the whole community feels good about themselves.”
Officials said the opportunities to help or request help are over for the year. Fitzgerald said that after distribution, organizers will relax for a while to enjoy the holiday season. He said the rest will not last long as Christmas 2019 is coming. Sturwold said she doesn’t have any goals for next year or know of any changes.
“We will work as hard as we can to make sure everybody gets taken care of and has a merry Christmas,” Fitzgerald said.