The 26th Jefferson Rotary Charity Auction was held Friday night in the Greene Room Events Center at Wild Rose Casino and Resort in Jefferson.

The event raised $28,384 between the 35 live auction items and the 115 silent auction items. The most expensive auction item of the night was two electric bicycles that went for $1,900, which Rotarian Doug Rieder said was donated by New Way. The proceeds will go toward worthy projects and other causes throughout the year. Additional money was raised with the pie auction that kick started the evening, with all money going toward scholarships for graduating seniors.

The final item was Rotary’s Fund a Need campaign. This is where the Rotary Club chooses a cause to separately raise funds for. This year is the Bridge Home that is based in Ames, but helps individuals in Greene County transition from homelessness to being housed. 

President and CEO Jodi Stumbo told the crowd that in Greene County, Bridge Home has worked with over 200 families and found 56 families homes. She talked about all of the experiences that people have had this year alone, times have been getting tougher.

“We are losing affordable housing, rent has gone up 21 percent, (and) wages have gone up two percent. So when we’re working with families who are making $39,000 a year, they cannot make ends meet. And we are seeing more and more people everyday who are having the first time that they are experiencing homelessness.” 

Attendees donated an additional $6,950 to the Bridge Home with all of those funds to remain within Greene County.