Coordinators of The Save a Rack fundraiser presented Festival of Hope with a check for $69,324 Thursday morning. The annual fundraiser auctions off decorated bras and other items to raise money for the charity.
This year marked the 11th annual Save a Rack fundraiser for Festival of Hope who helps cancer patients and their families cover non-medical expenses while undergoing treatment.
“This is huge, we’re using, in the last year, over $350,000, so that $70,000, that’s a huge part of our budget,” Festival of Hope spokesperson Dr. Vince Bjorling said.
A total of 60 auction items were auctioned during this year’s event, from the decorated bras to items like a pink Michelob Ultra cooler, which was donated in the name of a cancer patient who died of bladder cancer earlier this fall.
The highest selling auction item sold twice and brought in $3,350. The highest selling bra sold four times, clearing a total of $3,050.
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Organizer Kendra Feather said, “I think all of us have had somebody in our life touched by cancer and, … for us to be able to do this and keep doing this I just am shocked at the total every year,” said
This year’s fundraising brought the total for the fundraiser’s 11 years to $571,524.
Some of that funding also came from other sources around the event from a gun raffle to Backaracks proceeds from the evening, which were also included in the donation.
The gun raffle raised $4,800 and is held in the name of Tom Watson, one of the original owners of the bar and grill who died of cancer.
Backaracks hosts the event every year and was able to raise over $9,000 from food, drink and other merchandise sold that evening.
During the auction, a memory plaque is also sold, to be placed on the wall at Backaracks in the memory of a loved one who was lost to cancer. This year’s plaque was purchased by Lisa Weborg in honor of her sister, Lita, who died of breast cancer.
Hers marks the fifth plaque on the wall at Backaracks.
In a press release, Feather thanked the events various sponsors and supporters which included local businesses and auctioneers like Steve Flower who started the event. BE Farms will also be placing a donation to Festival of Hope from its Pink Pumpkin Sales and Growing for Hope event, which totaled $1,170, she said.
Contact Jack Underwood: jack.underwood@starherald.com, 308-632-9044.