Middle, high schools give $23k to Rotary Auction

There are only two nights left in the 73rd WHOP Rotary Radio Auction, but there are still plenty of ways to help make this year’s edition a big success.

Middle and high schools presented their fundraising efforts Thursday night and raised a total of nearly $23,000.  Combined with the elementary school totals the night before, the school fundraising effort brought a record total of about $63,500 across all schools.

A $5,000 scholarship grant was issued last night in care of the Christian County Agri Business Association for the Rotary Impact Agriculture pathway as the Troy Goode Memorial Scholarship.  The Ag pathway seeks to fund the scholarship in perpetuity, and the proceeds of the 4H Ham Basket, which will sell on the Auction’s Big Board on Saturday night, will directly benefit the Troy Goode Scholarship Fund.

The club also presented a $25,000 foundation grant jointly to the Christian County and Hopkinsville High School Bands, to be split equally between the programs.

Through four nights, Rotary has raised a total of about $315,000, only $2,000 behind last year’s pace, and cash donations to the Hour Club continues to be a little off last year’s number.

Auction Chair Brandon Killebrew continues to ask for donations of $182 or more to the Hour Club, noting there have been three donations of $20,000 or more.

The continued success of the auction has allowed Rotary to expand past the student loan and Rotary Scholars programs, giving grants to organizations such as the Gateway Academy Industry All-Stars.

Today is the final day for lunch from 11 until 1 at the War Memorial Building and dinner is served tonight and tomorrow night from 5 until 8.

The auction airs each evening beginning at 6 on 98.7 Lite FM, online at lite987whop.com, Spectrum Cable Channel 376 and on the Hopkinsville Rotary Facebook and YouTube pages.