The Fifth Annual Emporia Main Street Auction brought in more than $9,000 Wednesday evening.
Casey Woods, executive director of Emporia Main Street, said the auction brought in about $9,600 and about 125 people attended the event.
“It’s a really good amount,” Woods said.
The item that brought in the most money was a forged metal iron sunflower piece that went for almost $800, Woods said.
The money raised from the auction goes into Main Street’s public improvement fund, which allows the organization to put together community improvement projects. The public improvement fund has funded banners in downtown Emporia and a series of other projects. This year, the fund will sponsor bike racks around Emporia. The bike racks are being made in collaboration with Flint Hills Technical College.
One of the goals of the bike rack project is to expand biking in Emporia and make it easier for people to park their bikes in town. The racks will be welded by FHTC students. Materials will be purchased locally as well, and the racks will be installed by the city.
Designs are being sought from the public for the bike racks. Rules for the design competition are posted on the Emporia Main Street’s Web site, www.emporiamainstreet.com.
The deadline for designs is Oct. 30. Designs can be submitted in hard copy or pdf copy to either Woods or Rachael LeClear, coordinator of continuing education and general education at Flint Hills Technical College. Woods can be reached at 340-6430 or 12 E. Fifth Ave. LeClear can be reached at 341-1372 or 3301 W. 18th Ave.
Emporia Main Street also is continuing to sell donations for the riding lawn mower that was donated by PrairieLand Partners. Tickets are $5 for one or five for $20.
“We had quite a few donations for those tonight,” Woods said. “That’s not counted in the auction proceeds. So it was a great evening.”