Hundreds turn out for Tulalip Boys and Girls Club auction

The Tulalip Boys and Girls Club is still adding up the totals from their May 30 silent and live auctions, but Tulalip Boys and Girls Club Office Manager Diane Prouty estimated that 400 attendees turned out for the event, generating roughly $35,000 during the live auction alone.

TULALIP — The Tulalip Boys and Girls Club is still adding up the totals from their May 30 silent and live auctions, but Tulalip Boys and Girls Club Office Manager Diane Prouty estimated that 400 attendees turned out for the event, generating roughly $35,000 during the live auction alone.

The silent auction was conducted in three rounds, with 56 items in the first, 77 in the second and more than 70 in the third, while the live auction had nearly 40 items.

“We always have a puppy for bid,” Prouty said. “This year it was a chocolate lab, and he came with dog food. There was also a ’99 Cadillac for bid. A lot of it was sporting events, like tickets to see a Mariners game and spend that night in a hotel. We had a lot of Native American pictures and drums. Al Rodriguez got a paddle that Mike Gobin had carved in honor of his dad, Tom.”

Clipper Cove Catering provided food for the event, and extra prizes were made available through numbered balloons, which were sold for $30 each, or two for $50.

“Some of the numbers corresponded to bags full of AquaSox merchandise, from baseballs and bats to seat cushions, pennants, banners and foam fingers,” Prouty said. “We also had a trip to La Conner and a really nice gas barbecue grill. About six of the balloons drifted up to the ceiling, and people joked, ‘There goes the grand prize!'”

Prouty thanked all the attendees and other community members who pitched in for supporting the Tulalip Boys and Girls Club’s efforts to support children in turn.

“It was just really fun and laid back and comfortable,” Prouty said. “If it hadn’t been 85 degrees outside and 99 degrees inside, it might have been even better, but we had a great turnout. We couldn’t have asked for anything more.”