Boys and Girls Club auction sports 'Clue' theme

MOSES LAKE - It was Mrs. Peacock. In the study. With a lead pipe.

Or was it Professor Plum in the conservatory with the revolver?

Either way, Saturday night was a big one for the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Columbia Basin.

The group hosted a sold-out auction at Big Bend Community College, where 320 people filled the $100-a-plate fundraiser themed after the board game "Clue."

"It started out as something more casual, but people wanted something more formal," organizer Deb Polito said. "So we gave it to them."

And she wasn't kidding.

Three-piece suits, satin spats and glimmering cuff links were standard for men in attendance, while ladies pulled out their best dresses, jewelry and feathered accessories.

"We've just got a good night," auctioneer Chuck Yarbro Jr. said. "So many people came out to give the kids support."

Yarbro auction off more than 40 lots, ranging from gourmet dinners, sports memorabilia and packages, wine collections and much more.

An almost live and silent auctions were also a part of the evening.

Polito said the group hoped to raise $150,000 over the evening.

On Sunday, the club's executive director, Brant Mayo, said it looks like they brought in about the same amount as last year, which he estimated at about $150,000 gross.

"It was a successful year," Mayo said.

Friends of the Boys and Girls Club donated wine selection from their private collections for sampling, and Midway Beverage was on hand to tap micro-brew kegs for tasting.

Gonzaga University Executive Chef Jeremy Goldsmith prepared the dinner.

Attendees were encouraged to dress as "Clue" characters.

Many women showed up as Miss Scarlett, and a Col. Mustard or two could be spotted throughout the ballroom.

Feathered, multi-tiered ornate centerpieces with plastic weapons adorned tables, each sponsored by local businesses and individual benefactors.