Moving the annual Rotary Club Radio Auction to May seemed to be a good move for organizers and members of the community, totals for the three-night event were close to $9,000.

The Rotary Club auction will now be held every year in May in the basement of Wilson Muir Bank’s main branch in Leitchfield (South Main Street). Fundraising begins on Tuesday night at 6 p.m., and ends on Thursday night after everything has sold.

Funds raised go back to benefit students in Grayson County. Money is used for student loans and scholarships, among other things.

Rotary Club Secretary Jonathan Decker said total dollar value for items donated this year were $16,000. Winning bids of items sold were estimated at over $7,500, and cash donations were estimated at $745.

Decker added the two biggest money items that people bought were a John Wall autographed University of Kentucky basketball, encased in a protective case, and a DeMarcus Cousins autographed 8x10 portrait.

The other big money item (that sold for $400) was a University of Louisville basketball signed by head coach Rick Pitino and a U of L football autographed by head coach Charlie Strong. An added bonus to the prize was a date with Rotary Club member Jenna Glasscock.

“Jenna agreed to the stipulation in hopes of U of L fans outbidding U of K fans on items being auctioned off,” Decker explained. “Jenna’s brother Tanner had the highest bid on the U of L merchandise until his sister said the winning bidder gets a date with her. Mayor Thomason purchased the ball and donated the date to Jenna’s brother.”

Decker assured, if people missed out on the auction fundraiser, there was still time to purchase raffle tickets for University of Kentucky basketball games.

A raffle will begin soon for two pairs of tickets for 2010-2011 U of K basketball games.

For more information on the raffle visit the organization’s website at www.graysoncountyrotary.com or their Facebook page.

House Representatives C.B. Embry and Dwight Butler donated the tickets for the raffle.

“I cannot stress enough that we want to thank the local community for their support to the auction,” Decker mentioned. “This is just another example of how the local businesses and individuals support the community. There were so many great products and services found right here in the county. I hope this makes consumers decide to buy more locally to support businesses who contribute to us as well as other individual non-profit organizations, because it is the local folks who are always there to support all of our events.”