Kiwanis Club gears up for bike auction
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 11/04/2013 (4772 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
A charity auction organizer hopes that the recent cold snap and lingering snow won’t discourage city cyclists from seeking a hot deal on a bike.
Despite the snow piles that remain and the recent chill, it’s hoped that Brandonites will still be in the mood to buy a bike.
“They might not be in the mood, but I’m hoping they are,” said bike auction chairman Garry Winters.
This weekend, it will once again be time for the Kiwanis Club of Brandon’s annual bicycle auction.
The bikes are either donated, or they’re unclaimed after being lost or stolen and then recovered by the Brandon Police Service.
The auction will be held on Saturday at the Brandon Curling Club at the Keystone Centre — just in time for the start of cycling season.
Viewing begins at 9 a.m. and the sale starts at 10 a.m. There are no reserve bids and all sales are final.
There will be 139 bikes on the block, placing the sale on par with some of the largest in the auction’s 16- to 17-year history.
The prices paid can at the auctions can range from $2.50 up to hundreds of dollars. The average cost is around $60.
“We always get a few really top bikes,” Winters said.
“Last spring, if I recall, there was one that sold for close to $1,000. It was a really high-end racing bike.”
Some bikes may need a little work, Winters said.
But enterprising buyers have been known to get a deal by buying two or more, then piecing together the parts to make one good bike.
Last spring, about 140 bikes were sold for an estimated total of $7,000.
The money raised at the auction is used by the Kiwanis club to fund local charity programs.
For example, the cash is used to help such causes as the Firefighters Burn Fund and a babysitting program.
And the auction cash will help the Kiwanis club meet its pledge to provide $25,000 to the Healthy Living Centre at Brandon University during the next five years.
Winters said he hopes that the lingering snow won’t discourage, but rather encourage, potential buyers to stop by instead of pursuing other activities.
“They won’t be out gardening, they won’t be out riding their bikes, they’ll maybe come and have a look at the sale and hopefully pick up a bike for the spring.”
» ihitchen@brandonsun.com