Tag Archives: Rotary auction

Islander uses Facebook to right a Rotary rummage sale wrong

Betsy Schairer hustles for the coveted cider press. Little did she know that injustice awaited. Angela Dice photo.

A Rotary runner has taken to Facebook to protest “a terrible act of injustice” that happened during the first minutes of Saturday’s mega-rummage sale.

Here’s what Betsy Schairer has to say on her page, Footrace Run For Justice: Help Betsy Get Her Apple Cider Press:

“After reaching an apple cider press FIRST despite limiting physical ability such as lack of fitness, short legs, and a generally waddling gait: A Rotary Auction volunteer refused to sell Me, Betsy, the Apple cider press she had fair and square gotten to first and instead sold it to another Rotary Auction Volunteer. This Act of Unfairness should not stand.”

And apparently it won’t.

After racking up more than 80 Facebook members who posted dozens of sympathetic messages, Betsy got a response from Rotary.

“I received an apology today from the President of Bainbridge Rotary & from the chairman of the Auction. They are investigating the incident. Stay strong!” she posted on Monday.

And today, more progress:

“I got another apology e-mail from the Rotary- this one from the Department Head of the Lawn & Garden section where the cider press was being sold. He has also vowed to track down the offending volunteer & get the cider press back so I can purchase it. UNITED WE STAND for fair thrifting rights!” she said in a post today.

Betsy’s work to right a Rotary wrong was met with huzzahs from her Facebook pals.

“Fair is fair!” declared one. “We are invincible!”

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The running of the (Rotary) bulls

Head over HERE for Angela Dice’s photo gallery of Saturday’s Rotary rummage sale. Lots of shots of the 8 a.m. burst of bargain runners. I think I was about five rows behind the two guys leading the pack in the above photo. Happy to report I nabbed the item I had my eye on. Got it in the nick of time. My friend, with whom I waited an hour at the gate, was not so lucky. The play tractor he wanted for his son was snapped up while he prevented a fallen child from being trampled. That should earn him a stack of karma points for Rotary 2011.

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50th Rotary rummage sale aims to cut waste

Organizers of the 50th Rotary Auction and Rummage Sale want to trim down the amount of waste that’s hauled away after Saturday’s buying frenzy is over.

Last year, just over 30 tons of post-sale junk was hauled to the landfill. That’s a lot, but it’s a lot less than the 70 tons produced in 2001. Since then, Rotary has worked to increase recycling and allow nonprofits to pick over the leftovers before they’re trucked off.

For more about this year’s sale, read Derek Sheppard’s story HERE.

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Rotary auction action

Check out the action at Saturday’s Rotary Club Auction and Rummage Sale in the above video and in a story here.

Over 20,000 people rummaged through 10-acres worth of cast-asides, hand-me-downs and whatchamacallits at Woodward Middle School’s campus.

Rotary estimated the event raised about $300,000. Last year’s event brought in about $350,000. The recession likely put a damper on spending this year, Rotary volunteers said.

Rotary devotes two-thirds of each year’s proceeds to community grants, scholarships for Bainbridge High School students and various local programs and projects. The remaining third helps fund Huney Grants, which are given to major nonprofit agencies. Last year’s recipients included the West Sound Wildlife Shelter and Hospice of Kitsap County.

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