Auction raises record $17,500
By LAURA THORNBURG
Staff
The 42nd annual Alleghany Heart Fund Auction set a record during its two-week run this year, raising $17,500 for the American Heart Association.
The auction aired live on WCOK (1060 AM) in Sparta and it was also broadcast on Alleghany Cablevision Channel 8.
According to long-time Heart Fund volunteer Virginia Setzer, this year's auction raised in excess of $9,000 ($9,029) during the second week (Feb. 28). The effort also raised $8,471 in the first week through the sale of items and donations in the form of memorials and challenges.
"Money contributions were very, very good," Setzer remarked of this year's heart auction. "You appreciate them. If you don't get one dollar, you aren't going to get $100."
One special donation was in honor of Setzer, who turns 90 years old today (March 4). She commented her daughter-in-law donated $90 in her honor. Of the donation, Setzer said simply, "It goes for a worthy cause; but I don't expect people to do that."
Setzer has been a volunteer with the heart fund since its inception in 1965. "That's been a while," she said with a smile.
She reported this year's event was "the most money-raising" she has been involved with. When asked if she would deem the event as the most successful ever, Setzer replied, "I don't know that you could measure the most successful because when you do the best you can, that's all you can do anyway."
While the auction always tries to raise more money each year, Setzer commented there is no official goal.
"We don't really have a goal. Our policy is to the do the best we can and doing the best we can is what is expected…If you want something done, you work toward it," she said.
During last Saturday's event, Jeff McPherson, a vice president of corporate relations of the Mid-Atlantic Region of the American Heart Association, visited the auction.
Of the items to bring the most amount of money to the Heart Auction during this year's event were pottery by Rob and the late Bet Mangum, which brought in $1,560 on Saturday.
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