Market club fundraiser sees great turnout  

IRONWOOD -The Gogebic County 4H Market Animal Club held a dinner and silent auction fundraiser Sunday evening at the Elk & Hound to raise money to support the 4H club events throughout the year, including covering the kids' passes to the county fair and premiums.

The kids of the club, along with the help of mostly parents and a few community members, hosted the fundraiser by preparing a dinner that the community could purchase, either as a sit-down or to-go meal. The kids then helped greet and seat guests, take drink orders, bus tables and work the ticket table of the silent auction.  The kids also helped make all the homemade desserts for the dinner.

All the kids were excited about the fundraiser and eager to greet community members as they arrived.  Among the greeters at the door were 4H members Alex Braspenick, Colin Gauthier and Olivia France.

"We are selling food for 4H to raise money to support our building," Braspenick said.

The money raised from the fundraiser will go back into the Market Club to pay for its clinic and other events throughout the year, help provide scholarships to graduating seniors, help pay for the premiums after they sell their animals at the fair, as well as covers the kids' passes into the fair.

"The fundraising money we use for fair improvements, as well. Our market aisle, if you notice is now concrete, that was one of our improvements. The wall where we bathe the animals was crumbling so we fixed that. Our stalls in the barns did not have waters, so we installed automatic waters," said Katina Newberry, mother and one of the head leaders for Market Club.

Several local businesses and restaurants donated gift certificates and prizes for the club's auction, due to the hard work of Jonelle France and Debbie Lekies, parents of kids in the club, who went out to the businesses to ask for donations.  There was more than $1,000 in prizes donated for the auction.

Two of the Market Club members, Sylvia and Eleanor Tiziani, worked the ticket table of the silent auction.  Eleanor Tiziani has been a Market Club member for about six years and a 4H member for about nine years.  "At Market Club, you raise the animals for auction and then you auction them off at the fair. At 4H you go to meetings and do different activities other than raise animals to auction off," Eleanor Tiziani said.

The 4H club has seen a boost in membership this year and the club now has 30 kids participating.  The club is growing and the kids and parents involved are excited to see the interest increase. 

Anne Newcombe, coordinator of the 4H club, was especially pleased to see the participation numbers for this year.  "The kids you see here today are the heart of the 4H club.  4H teaches kids responsibility and life skills among many others," said Newcombe.

Sunday's fundraiser had a great turnout, from the line waiting outside before the doors were opened all the way until the very end.  "It's non-stop.  It has been steady, steady, steady," said Jonelle France. Becky Magli and Karen Kangas, two parents that lead the Gogebic County 4H club throughout the year, put a lot of hard work into organizing and running the event.