PANORA, IOWA, February 17, 2009 – More than 50 items — many of significant value — have been donated for the auctions at this Saturday’s Raccoon River Valley Trail banquet at the Lake Panorama National Conference Center just north of here.

A special item is an original drawing by the banquet’s guest speaker, cartoonist and cyclist Brian Duffy.  The drawing depicts a fun scene along the RRVT, with a raccoon perched in a tree watching two bicyclists merrily riding to the horizon.  It is a pen and ink drawing that Duffy also water-colored, and it has been custom-framed by Jan and Jay Pattee, who own and operate the Ben Franklin Stores in both Panora and Perry.

One of the larger items is week-long use of a studio condo in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, in the town of Frisco. That is donated by regular RRVT riders Mark and Char Vukovich of Clive.

Among other auction items are two bicycles — a Fuji Absolute 3.0 hybrid bike donated by Scheel’s Sports in West Des Moines, and a PT Cruiser bike donated by Greene County Conservation from Raccoon River Wheelsports in Jefferson.

There is also a GPS system for a car, two oil changes with atlases, a 4-foot balsam tree ready for spring planting, sponsorship of more mileage signs to go along the RRVT, two Carhart coats and overnight stays at the Butler House on Grand B&B in Des Moines, Prairie View B&B west of Panora, The Yellow Swan B&B of Dallas Center and the Old Lincolnway Hotel at the trailhead in Jefferson.

There is much, much more.  A bottle of champagne.  A massage.  Two wine tool sets.  Bluebird houses.  Bike helmets and other cycling apparel.  Many meals and gift certificates. A fully cooked ham for 25 people from P.J.’s Drive-In in Pannora.  And how about a beer brewing session with Mitch Hambleton, the mayor of Dallas Center?

Speaking of fun, the phone rang Tuesday morning and Bill Barks, of Panora, said he wanted to donate a rather unusual item.

“It’s a 1980 RAGBRAI tank top T-shirt, with a KYBO advertisement on the back of it, light blue with dark blue trim,” Barks said. “I bought it and wore it on the ride that summer, and afterward, too.  So you can imagine it’s pretty old and a little worn.  It’s a size L but kind of short.  It’d never fit me now, I know that.  I’d need a 2XL if I was going to wear one now!”

The social hour begins at 6 p.m. Saturday, with a full banquet meal at 7 p.m.  There will be silent auctions during the early part of the evening, then a live auction will be featured after Duffy’s speech.

There are still tickets available if you act by 12 noon on February 18.  They are $25 apiece.  But you should call with your reservation to RRVT Association headquarters at (515) 386-5488, and immediately send your check to the RRVT Association, 402 Main Street — Suite 1, Cooper, IA 50059.  You can also e-mail us at info@raccoonrivervalleytrail.org.

You can read another story about the banquet by clicking here.

Article Published: 02-17-2009