The Hussar Ag Society improvised this year with its annual Stag Auction and was able to raise about $30,000.
The annual event was cancelled last year due to COVID-19. Despite this the community was supportive and they were able to garner donations to keep the arena operating. This year however they partnered with Premier Auctions for an online auction and had a successful event.
“We are just over $30,000,” said Ag Society president Kyle Gordon.
“We have a good amount of local support from the businesses and the farming community and people in town. We are pretty lucky.”
There were some great items with more than 100 donated including generators, a kerosine heater, a beer fridge, and even fishing trips. One featured item that goes back almost as far as the Stag Auction, which has been going since 1976, is Old Faithful, a shovel. It went to Roman’s Construction of Strathmore for $1,550.
Typically they would also auction off centre ice advertising, however this year, they declined to sell it.
“We didn’t think it would be fair the people didn’t get their advertising for a whole year due to COVID, so we pushed that one-off,” said Gordon.
The funds raised at this year’s event were dedicated to the new ice plant at the Hussar Arena.
“We had a new ice plant put in last year, so we are just working on paying the rest of it off,” said Gordon.
He adds the utilities at the arena are increasing and this adds another challenge. They are grateful for the support. Gordon says their programs at the arena are starting to return after COVID. He says the arena is booked solid through the season.
