4-Hers raise funds for Driscoll Children's Hospital

By MONETTE TAYLOR | South Central Texas Edition

Lavaca County 4-Hers work the crowd, gathered at the Hallettsville sale barn, with big smiles and urgings in attempt to raise the bids on various items. The annual fund-raiser involves several 4-H clubs and auction barns, with monies going to Driscoll Children's Hospital. -Staff photo by Taylor

August 8, 2002 -- "The best part of doing this, when we involve the 4-H kids, is actually seeing kids giving back to kids," said Cissy Galan, coordinator for Development at Driscoll Children's Hospital in Corpus Christi.

Every year, the 120-bed hospital for children, ages newborn to 21, organizes and conducts about a dozen auctions around South Central Texas. Six of these auctions involve 4-H students who help raise funds for programs and equipment for the hospital.

"There's six different auctions we go to. Six different auction barns," said Galan, during the auction in Hallettsville.

Auctions are conducted in Pleasanton, Three Rivers, Alice, Beeville, Hallettsville and Rio Grande City. At press time Aug. 5, all were completed except for Alice, and the grand total raised so far is over $41,000.

"We hold fund-raisers in each auction barn. We contact the local 4-H agent, and he or she contacts the 4-H kids. They each either bake a pie or bake some kind of item, or bring some kind of item their vendors have donated, and we'll auction off each of these items, Galan detailed.

"Last year, we even had some people that donated a watermelon, and that watermelon went for $250, so the crowd pretty much knows it's a benefit, and a lot of the 4-Hers' grandparents, aunts and uncles will come for the kids and bid on these items."

While the fund-raising has been going on for 16 years, this is the third year Hallettsville has participated in the auctions.

"Hallettsville has just done tremendous. They have come in second place as the barn that has raised the most money .... Hallettsville has just taken off like a sky rocket in their fund raising efforts," she added.

Barn owners donate the time and space, and the auctioneer his expertise for the auctions, usually held during the lunch hour on regular auction day for the barn. Farmers and ranchers really get into the bidding wars to help the benefit, and some even donate items and/or livestock.

"I just heard we had some cattle donated by some generous donors .... Those items are just very generous, as we know those will go for a very, very high price," said Galan.

The auctions were the brain-child of What-a-Burger owners, the Dobson family, and Hugh Dobson was present in Hallettsville to provide support, as well as bidding on several of the items. What-a-Burger prides itself on using 100 percent American beef, and that certainly seems to impress Texas producers.

Thousands of local 4-H kids across Texas are involved in the auctions, and at Hallettsville, the audience had choices of bidding on quilts, home-canned goods, bakery, garden fresh vegetables, gift certificates, board games, plants, flowers and many other items.

"Our county (Extension) agents are a huge contributing factor to the fund raisers, because they contact all the 4-H kids. Also, they will contact some major businesses ... that I don't really know, and invite them to the fund-raiser to bid on some items, or, maybe, they'll donate an item," said Galan.

Just seeing how much healthy kids care about hospitalized kids is an inspiration to her, Galan shared, and she always hates to see the auctions end.

"This is one of my favorite fund-raisers, because you get deep into the grassroots of South Texas, and you meet all the wonderful and generous folks in these smaller towns," Galan ended, just as the auctioneer began the bidding.