Arlington Kiwanis Club raises funds with auctions

The Arlington Kiwanis Club is set to conduct its annual July 4 auctions at Haller Park to support local high school students.

ARLINGTON — The Arlington Kiwanis Club is set to conduct its annual July 4 auctions at Haller Park to support local high school students.

The event includes two silent auctions — one at 8:30 a.m. and another at 10 a.m. — as well as a live auction set for noon.

The Arlington Kiwanis Club added an early silent auction to the Arlington Fourth of July Frontier Days Celebration three years ago. According to Kiwanis Club secretary Katie Ellis, this year’s auction will feature dozens of unique and intriguing items.

Auction items range from antique furniture, a Rat City Roller Girls gift basket and tickets, an estate planning certificate from Steve Peiffle, wine baskets, Mariners and AquaSox tickets, a Deception Pass boat tour, an Argosy Cruise on Lake Washington, a certificate for a massage, a computer tune-up certificate, a framed needlepoint picture, jewelry, lunch with John Koster and cheesecakes made by Kay Duskin. Most of the items originate from local businesses and residents.

Each year, an American flag flies over the U.S. Capitol in honor of a local citizen upon the request of Arlington’s U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen, and each year it is put up for bid at the Kiwanis auctions. The flag also comes with an authentication certificate and the winning bidder chooses who it flies to honor.

Arlington Kiwanis auctions have been a part of the July 4 celebrations in Arlington for more than 15 years. They started across the street from the Arlington-Smokey Point Chamber of Commerce, back when its offices were located near Legion Park.

Now, the venue is Haller Park, which is also the site of the Arlington Firefighters Association Pancake Breakfast and the start of the Peddle, Paddle, Puff Triathlon. In one location, those interested in being fully immersed in Arlington’s Independence Day activities can eat a pancake breakfast, bid on a unique item and get a great work out all before noon.