By Aidan Mortensen | KOAL News
Each June marks a special time for Castle Country Radio, as the organization hosts its charity pie auction to raise money for the station’s gas card program and the Thomas B. Anderson scholarship. With this year’s rendition of the event arriving on June 11, Office Manager Ann Anderson joined the KOAL Newsroom to preview it.
“We started raising money for local cancer patients, and we wanted a unique way,” Anderson explained the event’s origin. “The Pie Auction started 23 years ago, and we have carried it on nonstop through that time … Proceeds go to $100 fuel cards that we give out to residents of the Castle Country area every six months. They can call me and get a fuel card to help with travel expenses. There’s no regulation as far as income level, and you don’t even have to be traveling out of the area for services. Even if you’re traveling locally to go to doctor’s appointments or the hospital.”
In addition to the fuel cards, the auction also raises money for the Thomas B. Anderson scholarship, which is awarded to a student in the area who has been diagnosed with cancer and would like to further their education. “Thomas Anderson, as most people know, ran the radio station here for many, many years. He’s my husband’s father, and in 2012, he passed away from prostate cancer. He was a big proponent of higher education, so we wanted to do something besides the fuel cards.”
Anderson continued,” So we started the Thomas B. Anderson scholarship, which is $2,500, and anybody who has been diagnosed with cancer before the age of 18 can apply for that scholarship, and it can be used at any further education after high school.”
Previewing this year’s auction, Anderson shared some of the pies and items that have been donated,” We love all the variety of pies that we have; in addition to pies, we have swag items. Castleview Hospital has donated a backpack that is jam-packed with stuff. We have a cash pie again this year. Cash Busters has done that for the last several years. We have certificates for eateries, we have swag, and we have gift items. I know Oliveto’s provided everything to make a pie and a beautiful dish.”
Sharing memories of pie auctions past, Anderson said,” Some of the fun things that happen, we have local businesses that get into bidding wars, and they’re like calling back and calling out their competitor, so it’s a lot of fun. The competition that goes back and forth and bidding is not necessarily about the pie; it’s that we have such a great community that always steps up and supports each other no matter what.”
In closing, Anderson stated,” Tune your dials into Kickin’ Country on Wednesday, June 11, kicking off at 9 a.m. We will be live on air until all pies are gone. I hope last year was a record-breaking year. We would love to have that again. So far, we’ve raised over $217,000 since we’ve been doing this pie auction, so we’d love to increase that number and make sure we can continue.”
The Kickin’ Country pie auction kicks off on Wednesday, June 11, starting at 9 a.m. on KARB 98.3 & 106.7 FM. For more information on the pie auction or the Castle Country Radio fuel card program, call 637-1167.