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Chico >> For generations, students who raise cattle have been eagerly awaiting the fair as their payday.
Young people raise animals for many months and learn the value of investing time and money.
The farming community strongly supports the program, often driving up the price of animals as a way to support the children in the community.
However, in a different building of the same fair, the young people exhibit projects that have taken them hours and hours. Their main reward is a small amount of money and a ribbon.
Many of these projects are exceptional and people in the community might jump at the chance to buy them, if only they were for sale.
This year, a handful of Silver Dollar Fair youth welding projects will be up for sale in an online auction. The program starts out small, but young leaders predict that students will complete even more projects next year if there is a paycheck in sight.
To discover the work for sale, go to www.bidcal.com . The auction ends Monday.
Already people have thrown numbers on the Internet, most of the articles are still very reasonable.
People can also check out the website now and then visit the project in person over the weekend. The Silver Dollar Fair continues until Monday.
Gunnar Allen, 15, of Las Plumas High School, has been working in a chicken coop with his pal Cody Dilbeck for the past few months. Their cost was $ 375 and they hope to win $ 600 once the auction is over. Friday afternoon, the highest bid was $ 450.
Also, on Friday, a backyard fireplace had a top bid of $ 10. Hopefully that will increase by Monday.
Other projects include a utility trailer, decorative metal dragons, metal tables, and items made from horseshoes.
FFA adviser Ronnie Cockrell said the idea of ​​helping children sell their projects has been around for some time.
At present, 21 projects are listed, which is only a small part of the welding projects exhibited.
Cockrell predicts there will be dozens more next year. The online auction started later in the semester. Students work hard on their projects and they are often meant to be gifts for the family.
“A lot of them fell in love with their projects†and didn’t want to see them sold to the highest bidder, Cockrell said.
However, if the young people knew they could sell their projects online, Cockrell predicted that the students would create additional projects to sell.
Adding an auction for welding projects will teach young people to be entrepreneurs, Cockrell predicted, as well as keep records of the time spent on a project and the value of the time invested.
Rob Ramay is well known for being the fast paced auctioneer of the junior cattle auction. As a longtime supporter of youth projects, he said it was obvious when the director of the Silver Dollar Fair asked him to try something new. Ramay operates bidcal.com, where online auctions are held for government surplus items, real estate sales, and more.
Ramay said he was sure the sale of the welding project would be a win-win. Ten percent of the sale price will also go to the Silver Dollar Fair Foundation, he said.
Contact reporter Heather Hacking at 896-7758.
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