Giving back Rich theme for purse auction

Thursday, July 28, 2016
Auctioneer Jeff Rich (above) points to a succesful bidder at the annual Family Fun Day Purse Auction Wednesday afternoon at the Putnam County Fair. Meanwhile, Miss Congeniality Emma Hiigel holds one-year-old Audrey Fidler (below) as she helps solicit bids on the pink cat purse donated by auctioneer Rich. (Banner Graphic/ERIC BERNSEE)

Turnabout is fair play. Even Putnam County Fair play.

Last year, the Extension Homemakers and assorted accomplices took the opportunity to render local auctioneer Jeff Rich speechless, shouting out bogus bids to drive a dainty cat face-themed purse to astronomical portions, like $15,0000 in the annual Family Fun Day Purse Auction.

"I knew something was up last year when we went over $1,500," Rich said Wednesday afternoon, recalling the gratitude expressed to him for years of playing auctioneer for the purse event and the general outpouring of love and respect for the jovial Rich after his serious health challenges of the previous year.

That silly pink cat face purse was loaded with letters of gratitude and gift cards for places to eat and things to do.

Rich was genuinely touched. And speechless.

But nobody knew what happened to the pink cat purse in the succeeding 12 months.

Wednesday afternoon, however, that cat handbag came out of hibernation during the purse auction portion of Family Fun Day in the Community Building.

While it didn't seem to match Rich's simple outfit of khaki shirt and blue shorts, you didn't need to be a fashion expert to know it sure matched his theme of giving back.

Getting it ready for auction, Rich jammed it full of things that little girls are made of.

No, not sugar and spice and everything nice but ribbons and bows and barrettes, pretty note cards, a Dairy Queen gift card "to take mom and dad out for ice cream" and a Walmart gift card to help with back-to-school shopping and -- as they say in sales -- much, much more.

"A lot of good, little colorful things," Rich said, hoping some little girl might benefit from and enjoy receiving the pink cat purse.

With some spirited bidding, that cat purse -- the last one to be auctioned on the day -- brought $210.

Rich was pleased with the result, hoping that the idea will serve to perpetuate itself and the new owner will refill the purse and donate it back next year and so on and so forth.

"Wouldn't that be great?" Rich asked without needing an answer.

(Banner Graphic/ERIC BERNSEE)

Certainly. In fact, they'd probably all be tickled pink.

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  • Mr. Rich is a treasure to this community!

    -- Posted by talkymom3 on Fri, Jul 29, 2016, at 9:45 AM
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