Auctioneers extraordinaire Joan Dunlap and Larry Koob push the bidding up and up for a resort stay in the Bahamas during the Rangeley library Centennial Gala. (Nick Leadley photo) RANGELEY — On Thursday, Aug. 13, close to 250 Rangeley Public Library supporters attended the Centennial Gala at the Lodge at Saddleback Mountain. It was a lovely, fun filled evening. The Lodge looked beautiful thanks to the decorating talents of Janice Adler and her helpers. And, the "new for this year" cocktail party format allowed for lots of moving around and chatting. There were 70 items in the silent auction, including weekend getaways, artwork, antique toys, a wine refrigerator, a moose antler lamp, books, jewelry, a handmade shawl, a catered dinner and too many other fabulous things to list.

The live auction featured 13 items. Organizers had planned on offering 12 but added the 13th at the very last moment when a generous library supporter donated a custom painted Adirondack chair that he had won at another auction earlier in the week. The Gala auction also included a week on Nantucket, three nights in the Bahamas, and an exquisite antique diamond and platinum watch.

Of course, auctioning the original window art pieces designed by Janice Adler, Terri Wentzell, Priscilla Bean, Heidi Sorensen, Sally May and Susy Sanders that had been on display at the library for the past month was one of the evening's highlights. To add to the suspense, a donor had posted a $500 prize for the window chosen as Best in Show by judges Lynn Conley, Claudia Comstock and Nick Leadley. Susy Sanders took home that prize.

Seeing so many people donating their talent and time to support the library was truly heartwarming. In addition to all the items that were donated for the silent auction and the live auction, the flowers for the evening were donated by Priscilla & Brian St. Louis from the Sunrise View Farm.

The Bean Brothers, who will be going away to college in a few weeks, made their farewell performance in Rangeley and donated their awesome musical ability to entertain the Gala attendees.

Victor & Sue Borko donated their talents and played all during the silent auction.

The Berry family donated the use of the Lodge at Saddleback Mountain and JoAnne Taylor of Saddleback secured an amazing array of food all of which was donated by various local suppliers.

Nick Leadley donated his time and served as the official Gala photographer. Kelly Grant of Lloyd Graphics donated her time to prepare the Gala programs. Carl Symes of Mountain Greenery came with his canister of helium to help set up and spent a good part of the day filling too many balloons to count. Balloon Innovations had donated the balloons.

Larry Koob and Joanne Dunlap donated their talents, sharing the evening's auctioneering duties and raised an impressive amount of money for the library. One Gala attendee remarked, "Larry could sell a stone with his unique blend of 'comedy roast' and auctioneering." He was even able to get one couple bidding against each other for the same item.

Matt Krauss was the winner of the Dine Around Raffle, which featured gift certificates worth more than $800 to just about every restaurant in Rangeley. Following the auctions and the Bean Brothers who performed with Mike Blythe, partygoers danced 'til dawn to the music of the Tom Ball band.

The town of Rangeley and the plantations fund 40 percent of the library's expenses. However, in order to keep the library open, heated, staffed and ready to meet the needs of the Rangeley region as it has for the past 100 years, the remaining 60 percent of the library's day-to-day operating expenses is met entirely by fundraising events such as the Gala and by private donations.

Janice Adler and Terry McManus, the Centennial Gala co-chairs, along with the library's board of trustees were so very pleased with and thankful for the support that community gave to this major library fundraiser.