St. Matthew auction celebrates 26th, remembers past

By Dave Pearce

If you can have Christmas in July, why not have Halloween in February. From all appearances, that’s what was going on Saturday evening at the Posey County Community Center as Saint Matthews held its 26th Annual Benefit Auction. Once inside it was obvious, this year’s theme was ‘Monster Mash.’

All the auctions except one have been in-person auctions. Covid led to a one-year on-line auction but everything seems to have recovered well and the plan is to be long and strong from this point forward. But from humble beginnings, the auction has developed from just a few Saint Matthew Parishioners and their friends looking for a way to help fund some of the school’s programs to one of the biggest nights of the year for not only the church and school but also for the entire community.

This year was no exception as a sell-out crowd enjoyed an opportunity to bid on many unique items available as donations from a variety of sources. Cardinal and Cub tickets as well as photography, furniture and several custom-made items dotted the four-page and 41-item live auction portion of the program. A variety of home-made sweets as well as a variety of high quality donated items wrapped well more than half around the outside of the center and were available for the silent portion of the bidding.

But co-founder Frank Winiger remembers when the items weren’t as valuable and the crowd wasn’t as plentiful or festive.

“Randy Simon, Francis Angermeier, Bobby McBride and I were the four who met in our living room,” Winiger said. “We decided to go forward with it. It was an issue that had been kicked around at our men’s club meeting for quite some time. We sat down in our living room and decided that we thought we could do it…and we did.”

The inaugural few auctions were the result of a men’s club project and as the years went by, the ladies got involved and began decorating. Then the women began working on the auctions and they began producing.

“It went from something pretty small to something of a social event as well as a fundraising event,” Winiger said with a chuckle. “You’ve been there and seen what those men and women put together as far as a theme and the whole nine yards. It’s become a lot of people hours, a lot of generous donors, a lot of generous buyers, and I think everyone has a good time.”

Perhaps one of the most unknown and amusing facts regarding the auction came from a big portion of the reason for the first one.

“I’m going to admit something to you that is probably not common knowledge,” Winiger said in humbleness. “Our son Andy had just graduated from auctioneer school at Saint Joseph, Mo. A few months later I had this brilliant idea. Why not have a benefit auction to give Andy some experience auctioneering. That was my alterative motive. There are a lot of people who don’t know that.”

In it’s 26th year, Andy has advanced into an excellent and engaging auctioneer and along with his wife Keely Winiger, they have helped build the auction into what it is today. But all will admit that it certainly has not been done without a ton of help from friends and family of the school, the church, and the community.

“I was just hoping to get him a little exposure,” the elder Winiger laughed.

The benefits have far exceeded the original intentions.

“They have all bought into it and we have a lot of fun and there have been a core group throughout the years who have participated,” Winiger recalled fondly. “They work, they decorate, they solicit donations…if you have seen one of our books, we try to beg, borrow, or steal from anyone who is willing to help us out.”

Although Winiger admits that more money is brought in now than from the early ones, but an exact total is not readily available. However, the group’s goal each year is to bring in just one dollar more than the previous year. So far, they have always met their goal.

The event gives adults an opportunity to take some time away from their children on this night and enjoy dressing in silly costumes and enjoy each others’ company in a no-stress environment.

When asked about dressing up for the event, Winiger deferred to daughter-in-law Keely.

“You know my daughter-in-law and I can promise you that Andy will not look like a farmer at the auction,” Winiger said with a hearty chuckle.

The auction committee always gets together prior to the auction to toast the long-time leader of the group, Randy Simon. Simon passed away about eight or nine years ago.

At the end of the evening, the crowd leaves with hearts full, stomachs full and a little less money in their billfolds. But the bottom line is attendees have enjoyed each others’ company, raised some dollars for an excellent cause and can begin planning for next year’s event. But like every successful annual event, certain things must happen.

“We are beginning to lose several of our older workers and donors so some of our younger people are going to have to step up,” Winiger said.

This year’s program honored long-time auction cornerstones in Loretta Hoehn, Jon Thompson, and Emma LuLu Belle Cameron.