First weekend success at Geneva Cancer Auction

DeWayne Hagen, or “Whitey” as he is commonly known, has welcomed a great number of people to the Geneva Cancer Auction over the years. This year he asked one of his sons to take the lead getting the 2026 Geneva Cancer Auction off to a start.

 

Jamie Hagen shared his father's well wishes for the success for the 42nd Geneva Cancer Auction. Jamie greeted and thanked everyone for their attendance. Everyone was then asked to stand while Kate Cammerer sang the National Anthem.

 

Jamie then announce that the first item up for bid this year was one of the ever famous ‘Stew Packages,’ which includes a bag of potatoes, a bag of onions and a pound of Hope Butter that was followed by a quart of Sue Hills famous dill pickles, which is how the auction has been starting now for ‘Oh, so many years.’

 

Jamie then refreshed everyone’s memories on how the first auction had begun back in 1985 when Hank and Judy Thompson and Whitey and LaJune Hagen had decided to hold a Cancer Auction in Geneva, as they wanted to see if they could raise money for cancer research in their hometown, like they had been helping do when they attended the cancer auctions at the Eagles Club in Albert Lea.

 

Jamie also reminded those in attendance about the ‘Chicken Story’ and how Whitey Hagen had seen a chicken on the street in Albert Lea before he went into the cancer auction at Eddie’s Bar in Albert Lea. Whitey later decided to go outside and somehow he was able to catch the chicken and brought it into the bar and it was auctioned off. And with that said, I guess we can say, “That’s history” in regards to the cancer auction.

 

A great number of items were then put up for bid on Friday night, as well as on Saturday, and Jamie expressed his thanks for the great number of people who turn out to support the auction which helps raise money for cancer research.

 

Speaking of the Hagens, it was interesting to note that another generation of Whitey and LaJune Hagen’s family is now following in their footprints, so to speak, as Kyler Hagen, who is one of their great grandchildren, has now gotten involved. Kyler walked around the cancer auction this weekend with different items that were put up for bid, so those who were in attendance for the auction could get a closer look, and many of them bid on the items and took some home with them.

 

Steve Pence, who grew up in Geneva many years ago, continues to support the auction from Florida every year. This year a couple more autographed baseballs that Stevea had donated were put up for bid. The first baseball on the auction block was signed by Hunter Pence, who is one of Steve’s cousins. The auction also included a baseball signed by Chuck Knoblauch, as well as several hard covered books that Steve had donated to the cancer auction this past weekend.

 

The first weekend of the 2026 auction had a great variety of items this year as it always does, and it was great to see how people had put groups of items in baskets with a variety of different themes for the bidders.

 

Decorative type items up for bid included a shepherd hook, a metal basket wall hanging, an iron Welcome sign, This is Life and Gather Be Grateful pictures to name a few. The auction also had a homemade stained glass window, assorted decorative bird houses, a ceramic pumpkin that was able to be lit up, several different metal cutout signs, including one of a pumpkin and another of a squirrel. There was also a HOPE sign, which had been made using horse shoes.

 

Also up for bid was a decorative two-handled painted saw that had Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much on one side and All Hearts Come Home for Christmas on the other. And Gwen Reese donated a collection of items from the Turtle Dove Boutique in Ellendale.

 

A good collection of t-shirts, ball caps, and stocking hats from many of the local businesses and organizations as well as Geneva Cancer Auction items were put for bid, including a number of Fighting the Fight, which has become one of the cancer fighting themes and another We Are Stronger Together.

 

A number of homemade cutting boards, as well as a decorative child’s chair, a rocking chair, a great wood music stand and an end table, were all put up for bid, along with a collection of homemade fishing poles. It also had a few Christmas items too, including a ceramic Christmas tree, a felt snowman, and a collection of small crystal Christmas trees.

 

There were also a couple of pigs at the auction too. The first pink pig was taken around the bar and people proceeded to fill its belly with cash money. Once the pig was stuffed full, it was auctioned off. The lucky bidder took the cash out and donated the pig back, and once again it was filled with money. Later in the auction, another pig was also filled with cash.

 

The auction included a variety of quilts and assorted blankets, including some with a variety of different scenes, deer or John Deere Tractors to name a few. Some of the blankets were crocheted or knitted, and there even were a couple of pillows too.

 

And what would a Geneva Cancer Auction be without food, including many trays of deviled eggs that many people were able to enjoy right away. There were also many cartons of farm fresh eggs in cartons on the auction block too, including some brown eggs.

 

As stated earlier, one of the first items up for bid was a quart of Sue Hills’ pickles, but there were many more quarts later put up for bid, including some hot pickles, as well as canned asparagus and sauerkraut.

 

Georges of Geneva sent over a collection of dinners, including prime rib, barbecued ribs, a t-bone steak and chicken alfredo. The Pizza Cellar contributed several flavors of pizzas, along with a pizza box of cheese break and the 3 in 1 Bar in Hollandale brought over a couple of chicken dinners too.

 

Of course there were several sets of homemade cinnamon rolls, banana bread, apple zucchini bread, along with loaves of homemade bread, doughnuts, pecan pie, assorted cheesecakes, blueberry and lemon poppyseed muffins, cupcakes, peanut cluster, scotcheroos, yummy bars, and assorted cookies, including chocolate chip, M&M and sugar, and we can’t forget the lefse.

 

Several of the local businesses, Geneva Meats, Steve's and Neighborhood Meats donated a number of meat and cheese trays, along with crackers. There was also an assortment of jerky’s up for bid, as was a large crockpot filled with meatballs and another with chicken soup.

 

Superior Foods donated containers of salads and there were a couple of quart jars of apple pie filling as well as smoked salmon.

 

And for those looking for something sweet or crunchy, there was Karen Osmundson's caramels, peanut and peanut cashew brittle, peanut clusters, turtle pecan candy, a gallon size bag of almond bark popcorn and jars of Chex Mix, etc.

 

Of course, once again there was a great collection of wines, several flavors of homemade moonshine, apple pie snoops, Rum Chada and Jell-o shots.

 

Also put up for bid was a screwdriver set, a pliers set, a wrench set, battery charger, a self-sharpening chain saw, a NAPA jump starter, a cordless inflater, a large Lily Pad, Smokey Joe grill and tools and 100 feet of air hose. And the cancer donor didn’t forget the dogs, and gave a couple of dog pads for them to lie on.

 

And what would a Geneva Cancer auction be without a number of oil changes from area merchants. The 2026 auction also contained a great deal of gift cards from many of the area businesses, including Lerberg's, Wagner Foods, Krauses and the Willows to name a few, as well as subscriptions to the Star Eagle.

 

This year's auction also had a number of jewelry items up for bid too, including a bracelet that had been made by Barb Kuchenbecker's grandchildren, in memory of Barb’s brighter Roger. Stadheim Jewelry in Albert Lea donated a gold plated necklace and earrings, a sterling silver Infinity bracelet and a drop leaf necklace pendant.

 

Once again this year the Geneva Cancer auction included a mini ‘Farm Auction’ at 3 p.m on Saturday that contained a number of farm related items, including a variety of seed, and half a hog with processing. Ulland Brothers donated a couple of shovels, along with loads of crushed rock.

 

Also on Saturday afternoon, two young ladies, Haley and Gracie Luna, had their hair cut during the auction. Haley’s mother Roxie Habana passed away this past year from uterine cancer and she wanted to honor and remember her during the auction and do what she could to help in the fight. While the girls were getting their haircuts, a large tray was taken around the Geneva Bar and people placed donations as part of the haircutting event. Later it was learned that a total of $3,480 had been raised in honor of the girls' good deed.

 

This year a great collection of items were put in a basket and brought to the cancer auction in remembrance of “Finley.” Finley passed away several years ago when she was only 7 years old. Her family and friends have a special remembrance of her during the cancer auction each year.

 

On Saturday, December 4, an annual Wild Game Feed was held, and a group of representatives from the feed, Mayor Steve Bailey, Brenda Misgen, David Thompson, Al Beenken, Fred Vokoun, Brian Muri and Troy Hagen, made their yearly presentation on Saturday, Jan. 10, and announced that $29,000 had been raised in December this past year.

 

A large metal sign, “41 Years Proud-Geneva Wild Game Feed” was also put up for auction.

Many of the items that are donated for the auction are given in memory of people from our area who are no longer with us and they were also remembered over the course of the weekend auction.

 

I wish that I was able to include all of the many items that were put up for bid, but this head of mine isn’t able to keep up with things at times and I hope that you will forgive me. Please know that any and all donations, along with all the great support that is given, are very much appreciated. I would also like to offer a special thank you to the many people who give of their time and talents during the auction each year too. The auction would not be possible if it weren’t for these people donating their time and talents. An auction is not possible without auctioneers or auctioneer assistants, as well as the people who walk the different items around the bar, so people can get a closer look. It also needs clerks who keep track of the many different items donated and then auctioned, so people are able to pay for the many items that they were the highest bidder on. Cancer auctions also need to have great set up and clean up crews, along with a great group of Geneva Bar and Grill employees to make it successful. 

 

The 2026 Geneva Cancer Auction will resume on Friday night of this week at 7 p.m. as well as again at 2 p.m Saturday, Jan. 17.

 

The annual Eagles Cancer Telethon will take place in Rochester this upcoming weekend, representing the many great people from our area who donated their talents in organizing many different fundraising events over the past year, as well as those who donated items, raising money in Geneva over the past year.