KEARNEY - The 10th Annual Storm Jersey Auction to benefit United Way of the Kearney Area raised $12,155 Friday following the Tri-City Storm hockey team’s win over Lincoln.
With the help of auctioneer Rusty Rhynalds of Minden, the top bids for the evening were $900 for Jaden Schwartz’s No. 8 jersey and $800 for Rick Pinkston’s No. 7 jersey.
Players emerged from the locker room to carry their specially made LIVE UNITED jerseys onto the platform to face their most dedicated fans. The 27 jerseys sold Friday averaged $430 each. An additional jersey was raffled, bringing in a total of $485 in ticket sales.
Since the jersey auction started in 2001, the Storm organization has raised more than $142,000 for the United Way.
Staff of the Tri-City Storm, United Way volunteers and agency staff were on hand to support the event that jumpstarts the 2011 United Way Campaign. Chairs of the upcoming campaign are Bob Lammers and Troy Brockmeier, both of Kearney. Lammers and Brockmeier will officially begin their term March 30 when Ken Anderson and Andrea McClintic turn over the campaign year at United Way's annual meeting.
United Way of the Kearney Area exists to build a stronger community by uniting people who care with people who need. Through the services of its partner agencies, people find help during financial crisis, domestic abuse and disasters. Local families find support for helping children and youth succeed, supporting the aging population and helping people with special needs.
The dollars raised through the support of local businesses and individuals fund programs that annually serve a total of 25,000 clients in a six-county area, including Buffalo, Kearney, Phelps, Harlan, Franklin and Custer Counties.