Event 'tricks' cancer

Over 25 people showed up to bid at the Cancer Network of Sanders County's (CNSC) annual auction fundraiser, last Friday on Halloween weekend. Almost every business in Plains, along with several doners from throughout Sanders County gave items to CNSC to auction off to help those with cancer. The auction hosted about 60 items and baskets, with around half in the live auction and half in the silent auction. Items of all kinds, including a Honda four wheeler, donated by former Cancer Network President John Clark, were available for bid. With the year of COVID-19 coming to a close, most of the big fundraisers, not just for CNSC, but other organizations, have been wrought with hardship trying to keep afloat. The difficulty from not being able to host events and fundraises due to the guidelines as well as simply trying to keep people safe has been very difficult for CNSC. This event, though it is one of CNSC's biggest events of the year, was one of the only fundraisers CNSC held this year, along with their yard sale during the summer.

The live auctioneer this year was again Kevin Hill, as it has been in past years. He along with a local band donated their time. The group who came out to play live music during the auction included Dave and Deb Oliver and Keith Meyers. Several local youths came out and volunteered, and most of the event workers and attendees dressed up in costumes in light of the upcoming Halloween holiday. The auction was held in the main dining building in the Sanders County Fairgrounds and was decorated for the season. Attendees paid $25 at the door which included dinner and participation.

The event celebrated CNSC's 20-year anniversary, having helped raise more than $748,000 over the course of 20 years. Just in 2020, CNSC raised $80,000, before the auction. The organization has come a long way from where it started; giving out $50 one-time-donations to cancer patients when it started to $900 every year patients apply in 2020. One hundred percent of the money donated or raised for CNSC goes into the annual gifts for current cancer patients in Sanders County. The event was paid for by sponsors and anything extra went into the fund.

Though this year hosted far fewer people than in years past, the event was able to raise $13,000 for the fund. "It was a small group, but I thought they were fun, I thought they were enthusiastic and they were not shy about bidding," said CNSC treasurer Kathy Miller. Miller was excited with how much the event was able to raise. In fact, during the fundraiser she was contacted by an anonymous caller telling her to look on the entry steps. There she found a huge bundle of money that ended up totaling $1,200. According to Miller, someone had donated their stimulus money. "If people only had two nickels to rub together and you needed one, they would give it to you," said Miller after receiving the donation.

More information on the Cancer Network of Sanders County can be found at http://www.cancer

networksanderscounty.org.