Annual OBIFD Auction and Sale is a Real Life-Saving Event

August 15, 2016

The 23^rd annual Orr’s and Bailey Islands Fire Department auction and yard sale turned out to be quite memorable – and not simply because of the generosity and community spirit on display throughout the weekend.

As shoppers were loading their cars and volunteers began cleaning up after the auction on Sunday, August 14, a car pulled into the station to report that a woman was having what appeared to be a heart attack.

Several OBIFD rescue squad members sprang into action and within moments had the woman out of the car, on a stretcher, and into the department’s ambulance. Three Emergency Medical Technicians provided some immediate treatment, which continued with the arrival of the town’s paramedic, who was called to the scene. The woman was then quickly transported to Midcoast Hospital in Brunswick.

Crowds await the start of the yard sale.

OBIFD Rescue Captain Cathy Piffath said hospital officials informed her that the woman, a visitor from southern Maine, may not have survived were it not for the immediate intervention of the EMTs at the fire station. Piffath said the volunteer EMTs were able to perform basic treatment and prepare for more advanced care by the paramedic immediately upon arrival. Their actions proved life-saving.

“It was fortunate we were there and the driver chose to stop for help,” Piffath said. “This incident shows our highly trained rescue volunteers can make a difference when seconds matter. All our training really pays off when someone needs help the most.”

Michael Helfgott, president of the OBIFD Board of Directors, said the rescue incident was the perfect ending to a terrific weekend for the fire department and the community.

“We are very proud of our rescue crew and all of our volunteers, who work very hard year-round to keep the community safe,” Helfgott said. “Our yard sale and auction is held to support their efforts. This incident validates all that work and support. We could literally see how the community’s generous donations translate into saving lives.”

Shoppers and their new-found treasures.

The yard sale and auction, held August 13 and 14, raised more than $41,000 to support the non-profit fire and rescue department. The total was down from last year, which featured a high-priced boat, but reached the amount department officials were hoping to make from the event.

“We once again exceeded our goal and that is thanks to all the buyers and bidders who turn out every year to really give us a show of support,” Helfgott said.

“More than one person commented this year about how this event feels more like a community celebration than a fund-raising sale,” Helfgott said. “That was especially evident at the Sunday auction, where the crowd repeatedly voiced its support for OBIFD and generously bid up items to raise more money for the department.”

Retiree Don Munsey auctions a special pie

As expected, the most spirited bidding was for a stone bench made from a granite block reclaimed from the historic Cribstone Bridge connecting Orr’s and Bailey Islands. The block, installed when the bridge was built in 1927-1928, was removed during reconstruction of the span in 2009-2010. It was donated to OBIFD by the owners of Linkel Construction, Inc., and Cosmic Stone and Garden Supply of Topsham.

With several interested buyers, bidding for the bench was quite competitive, before it ultimately sold for $7,000. The buyer, a Harpswell resident, indicated he plans to install the bench at a business location in Brunswick.

“We were thrilled to be able to offer this significant piece of Harpswell history for sale and are grateful to both the donors and the buyer for their generous contributions,” Helfgott said.

Other items of local interest included a small cardboard sign advertising a former Bailey Island ferry service, which raised $410, and two wooden signs from a closed Orr’s Island motel, which sold for $360 and $225 each.

In addition, an O’Day Widgeon sailboat sold for $775; an ice cream party catered by Gelato Fiasco of Brunswick went for $575; a pair of beautifully upholstered chairs netted $500; an authentic tiger skin rug sold for $330; a motorized lawn cart was $375; and a James Wyeth signed print went for $230.

Several fruit pies, especially baked for the auction as part of a long-standing tradition, also received generous bids, with pies benefitting the fire department selling for $600, $300 and $200, and another benefitting the department scholarship fund raising $600.

A silent auction of gift certificates and services from area businesses raised more than $3,600, with most items selling for more than their stated values.

Hundreds of pieces of furniture, antiques, collectibles, and everyday household items were also sold at either the auction or yard sale, which was held on Saturday and Sunday on the grounds of the Orr’s Island fire station and the adjacent historic Orr’s Island Schoolhouse.

“We had a lot of quality items this year and some lucky people were able to get real bargains both at the yard sale and auction,” said Malcolm McFarland, the lead auctioneer and member of the OBIFD Board of Directors.

The event has grown from a modest fundraising effort which raised about $350 in 1993 to a highly anticipated community event which has provided thousands of dollars to help equip and train members of islands’ fire and rescue squads.

Volunteers are already working on next year’s auction and sale, which is scheduled for August 12 and 13, 2017, including collecting donations, which are accepted year-round.

All money raised helps fund the operation of the all-volunteer department, which provides fire and rescue services for Orr's and Bailey Islands and portions of Great Island east of the Mountain Road bridge and south of Stevens Corner Road on Route 24.