It’s hard to believe that we’re already at the half-way point for this year’s Rotary Radio Auction, and as they continue to raise funds to support local students, Rotary is putting out the call for community help.
Things started off with a bit of a hitch Wednesday, as a transformer blew outside of the War Memorial Building 10 minutes before showtime. But thanks to the quick action of Hopkinsville Electric System crews, they got the lights back on and the auction back underway.
As of Wednesday night, Rotarians are on a tear, having raised $245,959.24 in total since the Auction began—in comparison to 2025, which saw $250,674.92 by this time, so the Club is looking to continue their momentum heading into Night Four.
Auction Chair Brett Pritchett says Rotarians might be feeling the grind by now, but they’re not stopping until they’ve sold all the auction items and raised as much money as they can to help local students pursue higher education, careers of their choice, and so much more. He encouraged folks to bid high and bid often, with the live auction continuing at 6 p.m. tonight, with high value items up for grabs.
He says the Diner is rocking and rolling this year, pumping out tons of food to meet orders, so come hungry and ready to spend a little time enjoying the auction while you wait for your food.
The diner will be open for lunch from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and for dinner each night from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. Pritchett says he’s really enjoyed seeing the families who stop by to take part in the festivities, as for many of them, this is a generational tradition that they now get to bring their kids to and help support.
Rotary continued to give back into the community Wednesday night, with grants awarded to the Pennyrile Children’s Advocacy Center in the amount of $5,000, for their “Educating, Honoring, and Healing Our Community’s Children” initiative, the Boys and Girls Club of Hopkinsville-Christian County in the amount of $15,000 to benefit their Academic Incentive program and then $25,000 to Sanctuary, Inc. to directly benefit children in the community by providing safe, trauma-informed spaces for children in the community.
You can listen to the auction live on WHOP 98.7 Lite FM, or watch it streamed on the Hopkinsville Rotary Club website or Facebook page. If you see an item you want during the live auction, you’ll place your bid by calling 270-885-7500, and all money raised goes to benefit Rotary’s community grants, Rotary Scholars and Rotary Impact programs.