Helping a woman continue her education can mean helping her pay for child care. For Soroptimist International of Fallon, that is one reason to fill a room with people willing to spend their quarters.
About 140 people attended the club’s sold-out Cops and Robbers quarter auction Oct. 17 at the Fallon Convention Center. The 14th annual event brought guests together for dinner, costumes, and fundraising to support education awards and local community programs.
“We give it all back to the community,” club President Anne Bloomfield said.
One opportunity for that support is approaching its deadline. Applications for the club’s Live Your Dream education award close Nov. 15, and Bloomfield said only two women had applied at the time of the interview.
The award helps women who support dependents continue their education. Bloomfield said recipients can use the money for child care, clothing, and other expenses, giving them flexibility to address the costs of attending school.
The club also offers Dream It, Be It scholarships to graduating seniors continuing their education at trade schools, two-year colleges, or four-year institutions. Bloomfield said students at Churchill County High School, Oasis Academy, and those who are homeschooled are eligible to apply.
For girls still considering their futures, the club’s Dream It, Be It career support program provides a place to explore possibilities.
Soroptimist members Sue Chambers and Dana Broadwater teach the Dream It, Be It program at Churchill County High School. They follow a curriculum and arrange guest speakers based on the students’ interests.
Bloomfield said the girls initially expressed interest in medical careers, including nursing and X-ray technology. As their interests shifted toward graphic arts, the volunteers adjusted their speaker plans.
The club’s community assistance follows a similar approach: Members ask local organizations what they need and help when funds allow.
Bloomfield cited a contribution toward an ultrasound examination bed for the Pregnancy Care Center of Churchill County, formerly known as Care Net, and gift cards for students in transition. Members have also collected menstrual products for local schools and provided supplies through a food pantry.
The club also participates in quarterly UpliftHER initiatives addressing intimate partner violence, human trafficking, single mothers, and period poverty.
In her remarks at the auction, Bloomfield outlined the reach of that support, from senior center Christmas gifts and Adopt-a-Child to Domestic Violence Intervention, Room for Ruth, and Fallon Daily Bread. The club also supports the Court Appointed Special Advocates program, Maine Street Spooktacular, and New Frontier Treatment Center.
The Fallon club belongs to a global organization, but its local efforts are carried out by about 25 members, ranging from their 30s into their 80s.
Their work depends in part on fundraisers such as the quarter auction.
Julie Benninghove chaired the event committee. Bloomfield credited her and the committee with the work that produced the auction’s first sellout in several years.
Local businesses and individuals purchased tables. Five Churchill County High School honor society students — Allison Chiaretti, Andrea Rivera Carrera, Mason Taylor, Karmen Alcantar, and Casandra Hooper — helped decorate in the morning, then returned to assist during the evening.
“They were wonderful, and we put them to use,” Bloomfield said.
James “Zip” Upham served as master of ceremonies, continuing a role Bloomfield said he has held throughout the auction’s 14-year history. His enthusiasm for dressing to match the theme and ability to speak off the cuff make him a good fit for the event, she said.
During the quarter auction, guests contributed a quarter and raised a numbered paddle for each item they hoped to win. A number drawn from a tumbler determined whether a participating guest won the prize. Guests could also purchase a $20 “all-in” option to enter every round.
A silent auction, a costume contest, and a 50/50 raffle added to the evening’s activities. In her prepared remarks, Bloomfield introduced Sue Chambers to explain the Live Your Dream award.
The program recognized table sponsors as The Jo Pett Gang, The Bernard Bandits, The wRight Table The Right People, Jupiter Trucking, A&K Earth Movers, Boomer’s Bail Bonds, Banner Health, Quarter Convicts, Cowboys & Their Harem, VA Vixens, Les Schwab’s Cops & Schwab-ers, and Who’s Your Tatay?
Additional contributors included the City of Fallon, 3C’s Catering, Mackedon, deBraga & Rowe Law, Revel & Roam, student volunteers, and master of ceremonies Zip Upham.
The club has already chosen a pirate theme for next year’s quarter auction, scheduled for Oct. 16, 2027. Bloomfield said members also hope to collect menstrual products during their spring home, garden, and craft show, continuing an effort that previously provided supplies to local schools.
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