Mini Cancer Auction

Back in January of this year, it was announced during the two weekends of cancer auctions that once again a “Mini Cancer Auction” would be held. This year the mini auction was held on March 28, starting at 2:00 in the afternoon.

 

Jamie Hagen welcomed everyone to the 2026 Geneva Cancer Mini “Clean Up” Auction, which was again held at the Geneva Bar & Grill. As you might have guessed, Dwayne, or Whitey, as people knew him, would be remembered at the start of the mini auction following his passing on the 14th of February this year.

 

Jamie said that his dad would want everyone to remember that the Geneva Cancer Auction should not be about him. Whitey felt the auctions should be about each and every one of the great people here in our area who continue to FIGHT CANCER.

 

Jamie also stated that it is hoped that through the efforts of all of the Geneva Cancer Auction supporters that the GENEVA CANCER AUCTIONS, along with the many other events that are held here in the Geneva area throughout the past 41 years and have raised a great deal of money for cancer research will continue.

 

Jamie went on to say that it is hoped that in 2027 the ultimate goal of reaching 3 MILLION DOLLARS for cancer research would be reached.

 

Jamie then announced that there were several tables that had been set up to display the many different items that were donated and then designated as “Silent Auction items.” He encouraged people to check out the items displayed and hoped that people would then write their bids on the individual bidding papers. The bidding would continue during the mini auction on Saturday afternoon, as well as again on Sunday morning during the annual “Pancake breakfast.” The silent auction items would be awarded to the top bidder at the conclusion of the pancake breakfast at noon on Sunday.

 

Once again a number of great people from our area donated of their time and talents and served as auctioneers, including Jim Manges, Jamie Hagen, and Waylon Busho, as well as assistants Vicki Manges, Tina Hagen, Keith & Ruth Hagen, Greg Hagen, Barb & Jack Kuckenbecker, Karen Quam, Brenna Toquam and Brittni Lewer.  

 

With that being said, Jamie asked Kate Camerer to step forward to sing the “Star Spangled Banner.” As Kate began, the people at the 2026 Geneva Cancer Mini Auction stood, removed their hats, and many proudly joined in singing our nation's anthem.

 

Jamie then announced that it was time to put the first item “up for bid,” which would be one of those famous “Stew Packages,” which include a bag of potatoes, a bag of onions and a pound of HOPE butter. The “Iowa Girls,” who have continued to attend, support and donate to the Geneva Cancer Auction over the years, were the successful bidders. That was followed by a large loaf of banana bread that was paired with a pound of that great HOPE butter. That was followed by a jar of pickled asparagus, an Easter Basket of items, as well as a “Bee” plaque, a large Eagle quilt and the list continued on.

 

The “Mini Cancer Auction” continued to offer a great variety items that had remained following the conclusion of the second weekend of the 2026 Cancer Auction in January, as well as a great variety of fresh breads, cookies, cakes and pies etc.

 

Victor Mrotz once again contributed cases of his great Hope butter that was paired up with an assortment of breads, along with dozens of great farm fresh eggs, which came in many different colors, which Tim Simon had donated. Tim also donated 30 dozen eggs that would be used for the Pancake Breakfast on Sunday morning.

 

With Easter and spring just a short time away, the mini auction had a number of Easter items as well as spring flowers, a large bunny, a four piece set of Easter items, along with flowers, a pillow and candle up for bid.

 

The 2026 Mini auction also included a great number of assorted soft blankets and pillows, including a queen size comforter, sheets and pillow. There was an assortment of quilts in many different sizes and designs, as well as baby quilts. A unicorn quilt were put up for bid. Both an Air force and Marine blanket, were put up for bid, along with an assortment of afghans, and a couple of fire blankets too. 

 

The mini auction also contained a few items for the younger set, including a kite, sand toys, coloring books, as well as a Yahtzee yard game.

 

Gary Anderson donated an assortment of handmade wood cutting boards, and there was also a large wood table that had been made using a portion of a tree. Along with that there was a folding fabric wagon, a fabric cooler and rain gauge, several black mounting hooks for decks, an assortment of tool and socket sets, a leaf catcher, car wash items, a shovel, hand held light, and a battery charger to name a few.

 

And what would a Geneva Mini auction be without jars of Sue Hill's famous HOT pickles. Sue started making her pickles back when the first cancer auction was held back in 1985 and has continued to donate jars and jars and jars of her pickles to the auctions every year. The mini auction also had jars of pickled eggs, plates of deviled eggs, jars of smoked salsa, a plate of potato nachos from the Geneva Bar & Grill, as well as assorted jams and jellies.

 

Speaking of food, the mini auction had a great assortment of food items, including buttermilk brownies, red velvet cake, fresh hot apple pie, lemon bars, scotcharoos, assorted cookies, popcorn covered with almond bark, and peanut clusters. There was also a great collection of homemade loaves of banana bread, white bread and cinnamon raisin breads that were paired with pounds of Hope butter.

 

A number of years ago someone donated a Red Crock Pot - filled with soup, I am guessing.  The person who bought the crock pot decided to refill the crock pot the next time a cancer auction was held, and it has continued to be sold, food enjoyed, refilled again, sold again, enjoyed again.

 

The ”ever famous Red Crock Pot” that held a batch of Beef Chili was donated by Daryl Paulsen. Daryl had purchased the crock pot that was filled with potatoes and ham back in January and refilled it and brought it back filled again.

 

The crock pot has been put up for bid seven different times over the years, I believe, each time filled with some kind of hot food item, most generally soup, and returned, along with ladle, bowls, spoons and napkins, so the new owner is able to enjoy a treat during the auction.

 

The new owner of the “crockpot” this year invited people to come and enjoy a bowl of chili, on him, during the auction on Saturday, and many took him up on the offer.

 

The mini auction also had a number of different flavors of Three Oaks Wine, as well as an assortment of wines in baskets, Matt Felt apple pie schnaps, groups of “rum Chata” pudding shots, “shot glasses” of other enjoyable items, some with carriers, as well as “Jello shots,” and even some “moonshine.”

 

Baskets of assorted items, including a Panther grouping with a 10,000 Lakes Custom Design “hoody” and baby items, to name a few, were also put up for bid, as was a LARGE beverage cooler. A United States Flag was put up for bid, as was a Vikings football that had been signed by Harrison Smith.

 

Broskoff Structures donated a “grain bin” piggy bank, and it was walked around the bar and people added “cash” to it and it was then put up for bid.

 

A collection of decorative items had also been donated for the auction this year, including a large number of decorative pictures, some paired with flower arrangements, WELCOME signs, a “This Is Your Life” sign, a Tara Keller bird house, a rustic door, a decorative window with a large metal star, a white wood tray, a decorative milk can with a light inside, wall hangings, bee art, a wishing star, and seven pieces of a Heritage Village Collection.

There were also several totes of assorted beautiful glass platters and such from the family of Art & Delora Jensen, as well as some Anchor Hocking dishes. Also put up for bid was a Dale Evans and Roy Rogers picture, and a number of different plates from the Geneva Market that was in town many years ago.

 

And if that wasn’t enough there was also a colorful counted cross-stitch picture that said, “Thank You for not smoking,” a “horseshoe Christmas tree,” complete with colorful bulbs, and a sunflower end table.

 

Many items that were put up for bid were in memory or in honor of family and loved ones, as well as other cash donations in memory, including Paul Fornberg, Cheryl Howell, Matt felt, John Glynn and Bryce Ingvaldson, to name a few.    

 

And we can’t have a Geneva Cancer Auction without a few Geneva Cancer items, including Sport hats, “FIGHTING THE FIGHT” items, and assorted sweatshirt and T-shirts.

Thrivent contributed an assortment of items including a “husky” cordless light and a cooler.

 

The 2026 Geneva Cancer Mini Auction auctioned off about 150 items, or groups of items on Saturday afternoon and concluded about 6:00 that night.

 

Over the course of the cancer fighting events this past weekend, many new stories were shared, a lot of tears were shed as people remembered family and friends, and a lot of hearts were opened.

 

A big THANK YOU is extended to the many great people who contributed, purchased, or assisted in the event. We all know it “Takes A Village,” to support a great event and make things memorable, which provides the opportunity to help others and renew friendships.

 

I hope that you will forgive me if I missed including your donation to the mini auction. It was hard to keep up with the auction at times.