Community raises funds for Plains activities

A Plains High School fundraiser raked in a near record amount of $11,500 for its extracurricular activities, such as pep band, drama club and sports in the school gymnasium Saturday evening.

The "Fiesta Fundraiser" was a mixture of a meal and an auction and an opportunity to help fund some of the activities not completely covered in the budget. Teacher Marie Errecart, one of the volunteers for the event, said it hasn't been determined how the money will be split. The fundraiser included silent and live auctions of almost 75 items, a dinner of $10 a person or $30 family, and the sale of dozens of formerly used athletic apparel and football helmets, which fetch $350 alone.

There were 23 items in the silent auction ranging from earrings to an 11x14 painting. There were almost 40 items in the live auction, with a Stihl weed eater donated by Studs Home & Building that went for $450. Studs also donated a chainsaw that sold for $350.

There were a big variety of goods and services on the auction block, this year done by Randy Garrison, who kept the 60 bidders moving quickly and lively, pushing the items for a higher sale. Trista Feist, one of the organizers and volunteer cooks for the dinner, felt Garrison did an excellent job by keeping it light and moving along. Jeff Burrows, who played auctioneer last year, assisted Garrison. The items were shown around the room by students of the drama club and sports teams. The donations came from individuals and businesses from Plains, Paradise and Thompson Falls, with the bulk donated by Plains.

The live auction items had such items as limited edition prints by the late Duke Nielsen, an original oil painting by the late Rachel Gonzalez, along with different types of services, such as massage therapists Daphne Boles, Jill Hermes and Jamie Giddings, along with wood cutting, delivery and stacking by J.D. Crabb, rafting trips by Camp Bighorn, and a fishing guide trip on the Clark Fork River by Brooks Sanford.

But some of the biggest sellers were desserts, including an Oreo cake that fetched $55, s'mores that went for $70, a pecan pie that sold for $100, and "scotcheroos" that fetched $90. A pumpkin pie baked by Montana Highway Patrolman Steve Spurr and from his own garden, was sold for $50. A caramel apple crunch pie baked by Catharine Elliott was purchased by Wade Rehbein for $110. Wade and Lori Rehbein were the biggest spenders with a bill at the end of the night for $1,085, according to Feist, who also noted that bidders spent $1,615 on desserts alone, though they weren't the only food sold. At the end of the night Garrison auctioned off the leftover taco meat. Six two-pound bags went for $20 apiece.

Feist was especially pleased with the generosity of Plains residents for stepping in the help. She said Joel and Wendy Collett, Eric and Catharine Elliott, Joe and Lee Ann Bache, and Cody and Koliss Carr donated the food for the dinner and McGowan's Grocery donated $500 of groceries. "It wouldn't have happened without all hands on deck. I'm very thankful we have such a great group of people and community," she said. The fundraiser included a drawing for 2023-2024 season tickets to any extracurricular event, a value of around $70, won by Scott Johnson of Plains.

"We are never disappointed by the way our community comes out and supports the fundraising dinner, their generosity keeps it successful year after year," said Holly Blood, one of the volunteers and a paraprofessional at the school, who also purchased items in the auction and the bake sale, which featured nearly 100 homemade desserts from 50 cents to $10. An estimated 150 people attended the function, which included a Mexican dinner of tacos, rice, beans, chips and salsa. Though the school board voted last fall to make all sports Tier Two, additional funds are needed to help. This year's fundraiser will go toward all extracurricular entities.

"I think this was an extremely successful event. All the components of a good fundraiser were present in a capacity that was very positive," said Feist of the two-hour event. "We had good leaders, supportive parents, excited kids, excellent community support, games, laughs, good food, and willing benefactors. Our kids really need to feel the community behind them and I think this event made them feel the support; I know I felt it," she added.