On Valentine’s Day the Tatla Lake Community Association held a fundraiser for the West Chilcotin Health Centre to raise funds for much needed equipment.
The Tatla Lake community hall was bursting at the seams with many community members, each arriving with tantalizing contributions of food, as it was a potluck dinner.
The table groaned with weight of the food.
As everyone greeted each other and made their way up to the stage to see what to bid on in the silent auction, the chatting volume got louder and louder.
Excited exclamations were heard of someone spying an item they wanted to bid on in the silent auction or just standing in the way visiting at which point some were being told visiting was not allowed on stage only bidding.
Next at each table we were given a typewritten sheet containing a list of what was up for the live auction. Right away pens were busy circling what each wanted to bid on.
After much pleas of please be quiet, the crowd finally settled to listen to Gerald Kirby explain about the numbers on the table, when your number was drawn, that table got to go up to get their food.
By the way if a person was seated against the wall that’s pretty well where they were stuck until someone on either table moved. It was quite cozy in there as every chair was taken and more gathered and placed around as well as more seating down stairs.
A slide projector was set up while Dr. Mike Smialowski, the retired doctor of Tatla Lake, gave an interesting speech on the health centre and its needs.
Next Patrice Gordon presented a heart-wrenching slide show on ebola and her stay in Sierra Leone in West Africa doing her part to help out.
Then current Dr. Rob Coatzee, who replaced Dr. Mike on his retirement, entertained us with slides on his stay in the south.
Beautiful shots of the sunrise and sunsets, as well as the aurora displays had the crowd spellbound. Gorgeous photos.
At around 9 p.m. the live auction began with Kirby trying to get the bids going and finally asked for help to keep track of the bidders at which point Clifford Schuk got up and assisted him.
The bids went quite high on some things but the crowd was quite noisy, however, that did not interfere with the bidding.
Many a bidder went home happy with their winning bids.
Finally, the silent auction was closed and more happy bidders went to see Selma Padgette with their money and a smile on their faces.
Not only were the bidders content, the organizers were doing a very happy dance when they counted just over $20,000 dollars raised at the function.
Way to go Tatla Lake and surrounding communities.
The Little Town that Did raised $20,000 big ones for the Tatla Lake health centre. Woot woot!!