By Shannon McFarlin News Director
Paris, Tenn.–Even with this year’s obstacles, the Henry County Helping Hand Radio Auction set an all-time record with $380,460 raised in 2022 for 85 non-profit organizations.
There were a lot of smiling faces at the Krider Performing Arts Center in Paris Monday night as checks were distributed at the annual Helping Hand meeting.
Helping Hand President John Berryman lauded the cooperative spirit which produced this year’s Auction, noting, “Even with the spike in COVID and the loss of our usual in-person auction format, the 2022 Helping Hand Radio Auction far exceeded my expectations this year by setting an all-time fundraising record with $380,460.”
Over 6,050 items –most of which were homemade–were donated to the auction this year which Berryman noted “represents a huge investment in time and money by those who cooked, baked, sewed, canned, built and donated all manner of items to Helping Hand this year.”
Special recognition was given to the Top Ten fundraising groups for 2022:
1. Holy Cross Catholic Church, $28,044; 2. First United Methodist, $26,828; 3. First Baptist, $18,975; 4. Pleasant Hill Community, $17, 812; 5. Tennessee Valley Community Church, $13, 089; 6. Cottage Grove community, $12,323; 7. Security Bank, $12,015; 8. First Christian Church, $8,293; 9. Van Dyke, Routon, Springhill community, $7,880; 10. Whitlock community, $7,513.
Berryman thanked a long list of volunteers, including Treasurer Susan Bell “who works tirelessly throughout the year making sure that every little operational detail of Helping Hand is taken care of”, Secretary Mary Kate Ridgeway “for her dedication…record-keeping and knowledgeable guidance”.
He also thanked Martha Stewart who worked long hours every day. “Martha and Susan made sure the auction functioned like it should and kept the daily receipts sorted out” and did so with a group of dedicated volunteers who included Vice President Danny Veazey, Jim Madison, Philip Wells, Vicky Sinclair and David Flowers.
This year was the first year that Helping Hand posted photos of every auction item online and it was a huge task, but seemed to be worth it from the feedback received by the public.
Berryman said, “From the feedback I got, I think it was well received and really helped make this year’s auction successful in the face of some difficult COVID restrictions.” He said it’s possible that the photos resulted in more and higher bids. He thanked Kevin Buie, Stacy Hays and Caroline Dunn for taking and uploading photos of over 6,000 items over the course of the seven and a half week auction, not an easy task.
Berryman thanked the auctioneers as well as the representatives at WTPR who aired the auction and promoted it each day. He thanked the large group of volunteers who wrote up tickets, sorted items, stocked coolers, pulled items to put on slates and delivered purchases to peoples’ vehicles.
Auctioneers were Andy Collins, Jamie Orr, Junior Staggs, Noel Hatman, Ray Compton, and two new auctioneers David Jackson and Darrin Thompson, who Berryman said “did an outstanding job of keeping the auction flowing, getting the most money possible for each item and getting it done in the time allotted.”
And lastly, he thanked everyone who donated items for the auction. “I know some of you donated 20 or more items over the course of the auction. We sold nearly 6,050 items at this year’s event. This represents a huge investment in time and money by those who cooked, baked, sewed, canned, built and donated all manner of items to Helping Hand this year.”
Photo: John Berryman passes out checks to the 85 non-profit organizations, with Susan Bell and Mary Kate Ridgeway at his right. (Shannon McFarlin photo).