The 75th WHOP Rotary Radio Auction is heading into the weekend at a strong place, but they’ll need the community’s help to cross the finish line, with $53,453.57 raised Thursday night.
That was ahead of last year’s Thursday amount, but they’re slightly trailing behind last year’s total overall at $304,283.49, with two nights left to not just catch last year’s total but hopefully surpass it, all in the name of raising money to support local youth in the community.
And when we say slightly trailing last year’s total, we mean that, because the overall total is only $16,616.26 short of 2024’s total heading into Friday. Thursday night, 113 auction items were sold for $10,425, $9,503.57 was made through the Diner and Sweet Shop and the Hour and Goat Clubs brought in $24,759.
Rotarian Andrew Wilson says the generosity of this community is always to be commended, and they’re hopeful they’ll show up to make the last two nights a big success.
Wilson says he’s been sampling many of the goods available at the Sweet Shop and he hasn’t found a favorite just yet—but if he does, he will make an Hour Club donation in honor of the baker.
The Hour Club accepts donations of $189 or higher, as $189 covers the cost of one tuition hour at Hopkinsville Community College, and the Goat Club will take any donation, big or small.
Auction Chair Landan Stallons says they’ve had great success with the auction items this year and he’s wowed by the community’s support. He says there’s two nights left of both the live auction and the online auction, so make sure you bid high and bid often.
Rotary continues its roll of handing out community grants, with two more handed out Thursday night, including to Wonderfully Made Workshop and the Boys and Girls Club of Hopkinsville for the Academic Incentive Program.
In big news for students interested in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, the Club, along with a partnership between the Tennessee Valley Authority, Pennyrile Electric and Hopkinsville Electric System, launched the Rotary STEM Impact Program.
The program is set to include $6,000 in annual scholarship, $1,500 yearly for work-based learning, and is funded by a $100,00 Rotary Foundation Grant, along with a $45,000 commitment from the utilities over the next five years. That endowment will support students indefinitely.
You can listen live starting at 6 p.m. on WHOP 98.7 Lite FM, watch on the Hopkinsville Rotary Club Facebook page or Spectrum Channel 376.