Yaunt 2 Ranch donated $18,115 during the annual Geneva Cancer Auction, Friday, Jan 7. Pictured above are: Wayne Jensen, Chuck Hagen, Brady Jensen, Jesse Quam and Karen Quam. More photos can be found on page 8.
Star Eagle photos by Kathy Paulson
By KATHY PAULSON
Staff Writer
After a year away due to Covid, southern Minnesotans gathered together to help fight cancer during the first weekend of the annual Geneva Cancer Auction Jan. 7 and 8.
Due to the pandemic, it was decided not to hold the Geneva Cancer Auction in 2021, but instead a fundraiser was held, so the annual raffle winners could be announced.
A cancer fundraising mum sale was conducted at the Geneva Bar & Grill in the fall of 2021, which raised $2,824. In July and again in November two purse bingo events were held and those events raised about $9,000.
On Friday night, Whitey Hagen welcomed everyone to the Geneva Bar & Grill for the 37th Geneva Cancer Auction and was applauded, as people were pleased to gather again to fight cancer.
“Thank you for the applause, but the Geneva Cancer Auctions have done far more for me than I have done for them,” Whitey said.
Whitey and LaJune Hagen have been a very important part in the fight against cancer for Geneva, dating back to 1985 when the first Geneva Cancer Auction was held.
“Before we begin I would like everyone who turned out this year to think back and remember all those we have lost to cancer over the years,” Whitey said. Whitey’s granddaughter, Brenna, strolled through the bar with a serving tray atop her head, collecting donations to honor those we have lost.
Tickets were and are still available for purchase for the 2022 raffle, with the winners to be announced January 15. The lucky winners will take home prizes in the amounts of $1,000, $500, $400, $300, $200, and $100.
Whitey then called bids for the first item of the auction, which was a quart of Vi Blazeks’ HOT dill pickles. Jim Manges and Jamie Hagen also donated their time auctioning off items on Friday night, alongside Whitey. Vi Blazek has been donating her pickles to the auction since the early years and her recipe continues to be used by her daughter and husband, Sue and Rodger Hill.
The auction continued with a basket of goodies from Bath & Beauty, a bag of potatoes and a bag of onions donated by Roger Shaunce, along with a pound of that great Hope butter.
Victor Mrotz has been donating cases and cases of Hope butter for a great number of years now. The butter is paired with the “stew maker” group of items including potatoes and onions, as well as loaves of banana bread, lefse and dozens of those great brown farm fresh eggs that are donated every year in memory of LeRoy Christensen.
Also on the auction block were: a plate of chocolate chip cookies, a children’s 300 piece log house to build, a wood snowman, a handmade blanket, a stack of 6 puzzles, suet for bird feeders, small cups of Rum Chatta jello shots, a wood ‘Love” sign, a large Barbie Doll, four sirloin tip steaks, a bottle of wine, along with a large pizza and breadsticks from RJ’s in Ellendale, homemade peanut clusters from Judy Christensen, a set of earphones and a T-shirt, a meat and cheese tray with crackers from Steve’s Meat Market, a collection of Janice Pederson’s dips and sauces, a Minnesota Twins Mascot; a box of Daisy Blue items, a gift certificate for a pizza from Jake's Pizza in Albert Lea, an oil change and stocking cap from Owatonna Ford, a Sesame Street hand puppet, a large plastic jar filled with snack items, a Mickey Mouse Christmas blanket and the list goes on and on and on.
“It is always interesting to see the many, many great items that people and businesses here in our area will donate for the auction,” one attendee said.
In addition to the annual auction held the first two weekends in January, there are several different cancer fundraising events. On Friday night a group from the Wild Game Feed announced that $35,000 was raised from their annual event dating back to 1986.
Rodney Farr, who passed away this past year, was greatly missed, as he would typically use one of his weeks of vacation each year to prepare the wild game donated for the Wild Game Feed.
Over the course of the day on December 4, 2021, a total of 700 people enjoyed a great collection of the wild game, which had been donated and prepared for people to enjoy under the big top set up in the parking lot behind the liquor store.
A total of 106 guns were raffled off in 6 hours during the event this year, a new record.
It was noted that December 29 marked the 65th anniversary for DeWayne and LaJune Hagen, who have been a very important part of fighting cancer in Geneva.
A large group from the Yaunt 2 Ranch Rodeo event, including Wayne Jensen, Chuck Hagen, Brady Jensen, Jesse Quam, Josh Bluhm and Karen Quam, were also in attendance Friday night. This year the group said that they had both “sad and happy” news to share. Steve Quam, who helped start the Yaunt 2 Ranch Rodeo group in 1995, passed away a year and a half ago and has been greatly missed. For the past 10 years the Yaunt 2 Ranch Rodeo group has donated money for the cancer auction and they were pleased once again to be there to make their presentation. This year they donated $18,115, which was the amount raised over the past two years during their annual rodeo events. In addition to their large monetary donation, the rodeo group donated a large barrel of a variety of “cowboy cocktails” to the cancer auction this year in memory of Steve Quam, which went on to raise $600.
A great number of horse related items were donated this year, including many in memory of Steve. Judy Christensen created a horse quilt, which raised $175. A horse blanket donated by Barb Kuckenbecker raised $70. There was also a decorative “horseshoe” wind chime that was made and donated by Sara Miller in Steve's honor, which raised $180. Sara is Sophie Quam's mother.
For two years now the group has also been holding a memorial ride in honor of Steve Quam at the Yaunt 2 Ranch in rural New Richland over the summer. The special event raised $800 for cancer research.
Fleet Farm in Owatonna once again donated a wheel barrel for a special raffle. Many of the people who attend the ranch rodeo donate an assortment of bottles of wine and liquor and fill the wheel barrel, which are all raffled off together before the end of the event.
Don Jones, or “DJ” as he is most generally called, who owns Jones Auto in Hollandale, was called upon to step forward. DJ announced that he was donating a 1⁄2 hour plane ride in his Cessna airplane. Before the bidding started, someone in the crowd asked if they could go to Vegas during their plane ride if they were the lucky bidder, which of course, brought out a number of chuckles.
As the bids were coming in, DJ decided to make his plane ride an hour long, which got a great number more bids, with the winning bid being $1,225. DJ also announced he plans to donate a second plane ride during the second weekend of this year's auction.
Bids were called upon for half of a hog donated in memory of Bonnie Klemmensen by the Klemmensen brothers of New Richland. The processing of the hog was held at Neighbor's Meat Market in New Richland and was provided by Thrivent and Kevin and Bud Klemmensen. Another half a hog was auctioned on Saturday in Geneva, and two more half hogs will be donated for the upcoming weekend.
Over the course of Friday night, people were reminded of the many people from our area who have been laid to rest following their battle with cancer. Some of the names mentioned on Friday night included: Sheere Utpadel, Chuck Hanson and Rodney Farr.
As the Friday night auction came to a close, Whitey thanked everyone for turning out for the auction this year. “God's blessing to everyone who has helped with the cancer auction again this year,” he said.
We have all heard the saying, ‘It takes a village,’ and this is most certainly true when you consider the many different events held in our Southern Minnesota area, which later helped donate to the Geneva Cancer Auction.
The saying is also true as well when you think of the many people who donate their time and talents to these events, including those who serve as auctioneers, clerk the auction and events, seek and pick up donations, etc. The list is long and very much appreciated. A list of some of the fundraisers held each year follows: the Geneva Cancer auction, which is held the first two weekends in January, the Wild Game Feed, which is always held the first Saturday in December, the Matt Felt Pool Tournament, which is held in November, the annual Golf Tournament held in August each year at the Riverview Course, and the June/July motorcycle run.
The second day of the Geneva Cancer Auction got underway January 8 at 2 p.m. and continued until 8 p.m.
Jamie Hagen welcomed everyone and recapped a couple of special presentations from Friday night in regards to the Wild Game Feed and the Yaunt 2 Ranch Rodeo event.
Tracy Holland then took over the microphone and called for bids on another great collection of items, including: a homemade peach pie donated by Verona Winegar, as well as a canister of homemade caramels from Karen Osmundson, a wood cross made and donated by Wendy Bogen. A collection of bracelets made and later donated by Barb Kuckenbecker and her grandchildren was included in the auction, and little 8 year old Charlotte Tuttle, who is the daughter of Jesse & Sophia Quam was one of the lucky recipients, as her mother was one of the high bidders. Wendy also donated a Christmas box in honor of Beth Bogen, who is only 46 years old and is currently fighting cancer.
This year’s auction also included an assortment of iron lawn art pieces donated by M & M Creations of Albert Lea, an assortment of wood creations, including a church, snowmen, crosses, tables and benches created by Wendy Bogen, some in memory of Wendy’s mom and Dad, Russell and Jean Thostenson, who both died from cancer.
There was also a tray of nachos donated by the Geneva Bar & Grill, homemade lefse from Sue Hill, paired up with Hope butter, gift certificates from Lerberg’s Car Wash in Ellendale, as well as an assortment of Rum Chatta jello shots from Barb and Jack Kuckenbecker, and meat and cheese trays, complete with crackers from Steve’s Meat Market.
Verona Winegar donated a pan of homemade Lasagna in memory of Rodney Farr, who had always purchased them at earlier auctions.
Pat Goodnature once again donated a bottle of his homemade wine, which was described as “the best wine around” and there was a very large basket of items for kids, donated in memory of seven-year-old Finley Budach, who is no longer with us.
This year's auction once again included a handmade fishing pole made and donated by Terry Peterson.
The Geneva Cancer Auction continues to include a great variety of items, many given in honor or in memory of family and friends, all in the name of fighting cancer. Each and everyone’s gifts and donations are appreciated, despite the fact that they cannot all be included here.
The first weekend of the 2022 auction came to a close shortly after the final auction item bidding concluded for a United States Flag donated by the Ellendale Veterans of War group in honor of the people who have served our country.
As the flag was auctioned off, Roger Shaunce from the Ellendale VFW reminded attendees that some of our veterans came home, and some didn’t.
“God bless all who have served or gave their life for us,” Whitey reminded the crowd.
The 2022 Geneva Cancer Auction will resume this weekend, January 14 and 15. The Friday night auction will get underway at 7 p.m. and the Saturday auction at 2 p.m.
An online auction has been taking place this year for a policemen’s wall quilt, along with two pillows. The winner of those items will be announced on Saturday. A firemen’s wall quilt will be auctioned on Saturday. Judy Christensen was thanked for generously donating these items. At approximately 3:30 on Saturday, the Farm and Sports portion of the Cancer Auction will get underway.
This year the organizers of the event hope to reach a grand total of raising two million dollars over the past 37 years.
If you would like to help with the cancer fundraising event this weekend, donations for the auction can be dropped off at the Geneva Bar and Grill at any time this week, or you can contact any of the Geneva Cancer Committee members. Any and all donations are appreciated and they hope to see you there.
“Friends don’t let friends fight alone,” has been the motto of the cancer auction since 1985.
Whatever unique items you would like to donate are greatly appreciated, and we hope to see you this weekend in Geneva.