Submitted by Arleen Bier

Each year, an auction is held at La Floresta Park in Mercedes. Some parks have Park Sales to get rid of unwanted stuff—we have an auction. Throughout the year, residents collect items to donate to the auction. We have really good stuff. The sale includes furniture, electrical appliances, printers, decorative pieces, dishes, golf clubs, golf balls, and more. One man’s junk is another man’s treasure.

A member of the committee explained the procedures for the auction.

“Everyone donates stuff and then buys it back. You also make desserts and then buy those back.”

It is a good fundraiser for the park. The proceeds are used to fund park activities.

Rickey Henderson, our resident auctioneer, is entertaining as well as very animated at getting people to bid on items. Normally he starts out with a relatively low price to attract a large number of bidders.

He begins with, “Two and a half? Two and a half? It is surely worth two and a half! Now five? Five? Five? Five? I got five! Now seven and a half? Seven and a half? Sold for seven and a half!”

Multiple groups of smaller items are put together.

Rickey said, “It looks good but I don’t know what it is! Come on. Two and a half? I got two and a half. Now five? Now 10? Now 15? Sold!”

We had three griddles. “The cords are even with them!” exclaimed Rickey.

He said, “Next up is a box of craft items. Could be gold in there!”

As the bidding begins, it goes quickly. Bidders need to pay attention because if they don’t keep their card number raised, the auctioneer says, “Sorry you missed out on a bargain!”

“Five? Five? Five?” Rickey asks. “OK two and a half? Two and a half? Put something more with it. Put all that garbage over there together. OK. Two and a half? I got two and a half! Now five?....”

Rickey says, “Here is a pair of speakers. This is a really good deal. It costs $85 online. Thirty? I got thirty. Now thirty-five. Thirty-five? Sold for thirty! I lied about looking them up online. It ain’t the first time I lied.”

And the sale continues. Food prices are cut in half, causing a run on the food court.

“We have a collection of kitchen stuff.” Rickey announced. "Some of you old people remember jelly jars…...You can take it home and give it to your mother-in-law.”

“We have a freshly made pecan pie. The recipe is 20 years old! The recipe, not the pie,” Rickey explained.

“Here is a printer. Actually, we have four printers. Let’s start the bid at two and a half. Two and half and your choice of printers. I got two and half. Do I have Five? Five? Five? Sold for two and half.” Ricky said, "Give her all four printers for that price.”

As a new collection of assorted knickknacks and dishes are presented, Rickey said, “You might get a good deal or you might get screwed!”

A large number of individual items for sale pass through the auction quickly.

“What is that?” Ricky asks as a committee member holds up a box of miscellaneous items. After the bidding ended, Rickey said, “I didn’t think we’d ever sell that!”
The auction finally comes to a close.

Until next year, when we will probably see some of these same things at the auction!