Mount Timothy Ski Society hosted a dinner and auction at the 100 Mile House Lodge and Conference Centre on Feb. 17.
“It was absolutely fantastic. The comments were really positive and the meal was outstanding,” said Debbie Dengel, one of the Ski Society’s board of directors and an organizer of the event. “Overall it was just enjoyed by everyone. It was a very positive and a very upbeat evening full of laughter.”
The event was sold out with 88 people in attendance and $21,725 raised.
“[It’s] very impressive, the biggest I’ve ever done in 22 years,” said Dengel. All the proceeds from tickets and auction sales will go to purchasing a ski hill grooming machine, rental and safety equipment and staff uniforms.
The planning for the event starts in September and tickets go up for sale in the first week of January. With items donated by various community members and businesses.
Several auction items were up for sale with MLA Donna Barnett as the auctioneer. The highest item that was sold in the auction was a hand weaved basket that went up for roughly $600, donated by Valley Dental. The Cariboo Truckers Association also donated a large sum of money.
“It’s a critical and important support for us because unfortunately, Mount Timothy lost all but two days of the Christmas season because there wasn’t enough snow to open and the chairlift was struck by lightning and we were waiting for parts to make repairs. This fundraiser is huge for us, especially this year because of the lost revenue over Christmas season and that’s key for us, so raising such a huge amount is tremendous,” said Dengel.
Karen Day, a baker from Williams Lake, made a baker’s dozen of cookies for each table at the event. The cookies are put in a container and at the end of the night each table decided how much money each person sitting at the table will donate towards the cookie. They also decide who gets to take it home or eat it at the table.
Between the 11 tables, $560 was raised.
Dinner was catered by red seal chef William Holyk, supported by Ken Jacobson and Dengel’s husband, Simon.