Summer season opens with auction

Having spent several years in various volunteer organizations, it was natural for Amy Adams to become active in the Priest Lake community.

Adams and her husband, Bob, moved to their new Priest Lake home in 1992 and joined the Chamber of Commerce shortly afterward. At the time of their arrival, Priest Lake had several nonprofit organizations and their source of funding consisted primarily of bake sales, raffles, craft fairs and auctions. Adams had some bigger ideas and offered them to the chamber.

Her idea was to conduct a grand auction held on the 1994 Memorial Day Weekend with the unheard-of goal of netting $10,000. Undaunted by the skepticism of many, she went to work, and after a lot of phone calls and charming a few friends, she procured a long list of donated auction items, including a trip to Cancun, a week in Hawaii, a fishing trip and a canoe.

The first auction was held on the beach at The Blue Pelican in Coolin, where wine and cheese was served to about 50 guests. Professional auctioneer Glen Black donated his services and the auction exceeded its goal by raising $12,000. To this day Glen Black together with his nephew, Troy Black, continue in the auction and many of the original donors continue to do so every year.

The “People Helping People” auction, scheduled for May 24, is now considered the opening day for the Priest Lake summer season. Hundreds attend both the silent auction as well as the dinner and open auction. Donors from every end of the Northwest contribute items of art, travel, jewelry, firewood, tools and you name it. The event is now held at Elkins Resort on Priest Lake.

There have been scores of people that have made the auction an important event. They volunteer time, items and cash. It now regularly produces revenue in the area of $50,000 every year. The Grant Fund has given back to the community more than $500,000. A big tip of the hat to Adams who brought the idea, the energy and the goal of “thinking big” to the Priest Lake Chamber of Commerce.

This year, the theme will be “Precious Memories-People- Places-Traditions.” Debbie Sudnikovich, in her first year as auction coordinator, has based it on her memories of Priest Lake in the past 25 years. “It is not my memories in particular but a variety of people’s memories and special times at the lake,” she said.

Teri Hill, former coordinator of the event, has passed on a big responsibility to Debbie after her many years of great dedication to the Chamber of Commerce and auction.

Trips, airline miles, magical adventures, dinner parties, sports tickets and art are only some of the most popular items that will be auctioned at the event, and there is still time to volunteer. I, again, will happily be pouring your wine but keeping an eye on the great items for bid.

I hope the auction will see a record attendance as it is all about Priest Lake and its community willing to volunteer their time and efforts to make this event a success, helping people help, year after year, as the lake churns.