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Chairmen are ‘hooked’

CHARLOTTE BARTIZEK For the Dallas Post

Karen Shuster, this year’s library auction chairman, admits she loves antiques- like tea sets, antique sewing machines and wash stands. Among auction finds in her Dallas home are a Victrola hand-painted by Maryann Daly, train memorabilia and old fire extinguishers.

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Lisa Pretko is a co-chairperson of this year’s auction and the New Goods chair.

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Karen Shuster is this year’s Back Mountain Memorial Library Auction chairperson. Well prepared for the position, she will also serve as the finance chair.

Charlotte Bartizek photos/ For The Dallas Post

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She credits her husband, Scott, and her employer, the Bank of America, for allowing her the time necessary to be so involved in the auction every year.

Though she’ll be in the auction’s top spot this year as chairman, she ruefully adds, “I still won’t get to see the auction.”

That’s because, like many of the other volunteers and chairmen who have preceded her, Shuster will help in the finance booth and not be able to see the auction “action” on stage.

The finance booth is a familiar one for Shuster. Looking back, she probably got involved in the auction in 1997 or 1998 when Ernie Ashbridge, with whom she became associated through the local banking community, asked her to help take payments, handle the cash and give out auction numbers. Ashbridge retired from Hanover Bank and Shuster has been the finance chairman ever since.

Shuster, an unassuming leader and consensus builder, has attracted others to the finance booth over the years - Theresa Lauricella, Shannon and Amanda Kotch, Suzanne Kennedy and Mary Ann Canfield.

“And most of them are still there and they love it,” she adds proudly.

Shustas is also proud to have helped solicit Leon Emmanuel, of Emmanuel Bus Service, in Dallas to contribute the cost of the buses to the auction each year and notes that, “We couldn’t have an auction without the buses now.”

She credits Cheryl and Don Fagenberg for setting up the computer system with servers and connecting laptops to modernized the entire auction process. She hopes the Dallas Borough police will volunteer again this year to help with security.

Shuster is amazed at the number of items donated each year and how the community gathers to support the event.

“It’s like a fellowship and they all get along well,” she adds. Last year’s auction grossed $104,000 and netted $79,400 dollars for the library. The library uses the windfall for its general operating fund but many state and federal programs base their contributions to the library on the percentage of community support it receives, thus giving the auction effort a double effect.

Lisa Pretko, this year’s auction co-chair, is also the new goods chairman.

Pretko, who first became involved with the auction in 2004, says, “I didn’t know what the heck I was doing.” Pretko’s family has been supportive of her time and efforts; they love the auction, too.

Pretko recalls one of the first evenings she and her husband, Matt, went to the auction. When they got home, her husband said, “I can’t believe someone would pay $40 for a pie, can you?” And Pretko said, “I did.” She had purchased a pie and a pottery pie dish and was hooked.

Both women feel this year’s weak economy will be a stimulus for people to travel less, reunite at the auction while getting some great bargains and, in the process, help the community.