Zoo friends auction is next week
By Bobbi Mlynar
Originally published 02:21 p.m., February 29, 2008
Updated 02:21 p.m., February 29, 2008
The Emporia Country Club will be known as the ECC Ranch for a few hours next week, when the Emporia Friends of the Zoo take over for their annual fundraising auction. The theme for the evening is western, and those who attend may come in western gear, if they wish, according to the latest issue of the group’s newsletter.
Auction committee co-chairwomen Cindy Detwiler and Staci Hamman, EFOZ president and vice president, respectively, on Thursday were going over the items that already had been donated and were making final plans for the event, which will begin at 6 p.m., March 7.
Bidders once again will be able to vie for favorite items, such as shadowing a zookeeper, turning on the Christmas light display during a ceremony at the zoo, and sponsoring bison, eagle and mountain lion exhibits.
A special package of treats from the Council Grove area has been put together for the playing card auction. Participants each purchase one or more playing cards which, during the evening, are eliminated from contention a few at a time. The person holding the winning card at the end of the contest will win a gift certificate for two tickets to the “Symphony in the Flint Hills,” a stay at the Cottage House, and meals at the Hays House and La Hacienda, among other items.
The auction also will feature art, ranging from blown glass by Cecil and Lisa McKenzie and the late Richard Stauffer, a Judith Mackey print, framed photographs by Kent Grieder of Samson the mountain lion, an other-worldly photograph of bison by S.C. Dixon, a calendar made from Linda Schreck’s photographs of local zoo animals, and a cocktail party hosted by Duane and Lori Scott Dreiling.
Handmade and homemade items will be available. Gary Van Syoc has contributed an inlaid wooden bowl, Evora Wheeler has committed to making three pies.
Rounds of golf, theater tickets, an outing to a Kansas City Royals-Detroit Tigers game with meals included, an autographed photo of Kansas City Chiefs tight end Tony Gonzalez and a pair of fuzzy Jayhawk houseshoes also will be auctioned.
A 1:24 replica of NASCAR driver Clint Bowyer’s Jack Daniels 07 car, as well as collectible cards autographed by him, also have been contributed.
Detwiler has donated a free-standing replica of John Wayne that she purchased at an EFOZ auction several years ago.
A complete list of auction items soon will be available online by clicking “Roundup” on the zoo’s Web site, www.emporiazoo.org, according to zoo office manager Lori Andrews.
Tickets must be purchased in advance and are available from any EFOZ board member or at the zoo office, 75 Soden Road. The cost is $20 per person and VISA and MasterCard are accepted.
Ticket prices include hors d’oeuvres, entertainment, and music by Jane McCoy. A cash bar also will be available. No tickets will be sold at the door, although buyers may reserve them by telephone and pick them up the evening of the auction.
Ron Thomas will be master of ceremonies for the evening and Paul Hancock will be auctioneer. Proceeds from the auction will be donated for improvements at the zoo.