After one year hiatus to attempt to avoid COVID, the Holmes Christmas Club auction returned on Monday, November 22. The event was moved from the popular Chappy’s to The Red Shed. The ‘shed’ allowed auction-goers to have more space to spread out for the event, remaining mindful of the concerns of the ongoing virus. The event is held each year on the Monday before Thanksgiving.
According to board member Lisa Kluss, this year’s auction was one for the record books. “As of right now, we don’t have totals of monies raised, but we know it will have the most proceeds in the history of the club’s existence.” The Holmes auction began in the mid-1940s.
Kluss, and the other dozen club board members, know that it takes many more volunteers than just their board to make the event work each year – those donating items, bidders, extra sets of hands to do the work on auction night. “We can’t say enough about Clarion Ruritans,” Kluss said. “They cooked and served the pork loin dinner. Paying for the food and then giving any money they raised from food sales ($5 per meal) back to the Holmes Christmas Club.” She is happy to report that people from young children to senior citizens attended. School students from across the county, individually, walked through the crowd with auctioned items for sale. One new twist was a silent auction which had never been done before.
For the first time last year, fruit baskets were not assembled and given out to residents of the various communities in Wright County. Instead, last year chamber and community gift cards were mailed to people’s names on their ‘gift giving’ list. The board has voted to send out gift cards again for Christmas 2021. “We have a listing from which we give the cards,” Kluss said. “Many are given gifts each year. But we are always looking to be sure we get as many people as we can to get the cards.” She invites people to call her – 1-515-851-0063; Spook Anderson – 1-515-532-6565 or Shelley Pohlman 1-515-851-2617 to give them names of potential gift card receivers.
