By Christi Baron

On March 18-19 Forks residents will gather again for the 53rd time in as many years to pay too much for blackberry pies, bid against family and friends for firewood, and sit all weekend with a numbered paper plate in their hand and in the end feel so good about it!

The 53rd annual Quillayute Valley Scholarship Auction (QVSA) is fast approaching. The event started in 1964 as a community dinner.

The discussion began in 1963 as community leaders felt that due to the remoteness of the community that Forks High School graduates desiring further education were at a disadvantage and could use a little financial help.

In 1964, the Quillayute Valley Scholarship Fund came into being and a corporation was formed. It was governed by a board of seven members presenting different occupations in the area, business, banking, teaching, logging, with at least two members to be women.

The original board members were Robert Rosmond, Harvey King, Russ Thomas, Larry Wagg, A. Nordman, Jane Waters and Millie Thompson.

The dinners were held for several years and then sort of by accident the local radio station got into the act and in 1968 the dinner took in $600 and the radio station auction took in $2,400 and organizers were thrilled with the results. The dinner eventually went away and wouldn’t the first board members would be amazed by the financial support the auction garners these days with the all-time record of $91,900 in 2014!

On Wednesday, Feb. 22, student coordinators for this year’s QVSA, Zachary Carlson and Jessica Paul, auction chairman Jerry Leppell and QVSA board member Bill Brager were the program at the noon meeting of the Forks Chamber of Commerce at Blakeslee’s. Carlson said FHS seniors have been assigned to groups which will canvas businesses in Forks and Port Angeles seeking donations for the auction.

So far several large items have been donated; a car from Wilder and a quad from Jennifer Zaccardo. But items of all sizes are welcome, Leppell said. “Everybody has something sitting around in their garage they don’t use anymore, donate it to the auction.”

To obtain a scholarship, a student must be a Forks High School graduate and must apply for the scholarship.

Factors considered in granting scholarships are need, scholastic record and interest of the student.

Grants are given for any area of further education, business school, trade school, beauty school or college. Students already in college or advanced training also can apply.

According to Brager, current QVSA board member, since the start of the QVSA $1.8 million have been granted in scholarships. Other board members include Jerry Leppell, JoMarie Miller, Cheri Dahlgren, Patti Holz, Robert Dickinson and Edith Henry. Henry’s husband Bob was the first recipient of a QVSA scholarship. It helped him pay for his last quarter of schooling. He eventually would return to Forks to become the town dentist, just recently retiring.

Leppell said, “This event is a wonderful thing for our community, even in the down years this town surprises you.” Leppell has set the goal for this year’s auction at $92,000.

Leppell shared a funny story about the time a 1973 Cadillac was in the auction, “My mom wanted it real bad.” His mother Edna Leppell began bidding on it and on the other side of the room someone kept bidding her up. It soon became apparent that Leppell’s father, John, was the other person bidding against his mother! They got the car.

Over the years the auction has gone from the radio station lobby to Northwestern Bank then the Bank of America. After the closing of the Bank of America in Forks, it was homeless for a bit but found a new home at the FHS Commons, although the auction is not affiliated with the school district and is a separate 501(c)3.

Leppell said that the use of the commons really has made the set up so much easier.

During the auction senior parents offer concessions so that hungry bidders never have to leave. The money raised from the concessions goes to support Senior Safe Night. Safe Night is a party held the night of graduation where grads can have fun and win prizes as long as the stay all night.

All seniors are expected to help at the auction and this year the Class of 2017 has 72 in the class.

Jessica Paul shared the fact that the QVSA is her grandfather Bert Paul’s favorite event of the year and sadly he won’t be here this year. A story was shared how a few years ago the elder Paul was unable to attend and so he donated some items and also left money with a “friend” to buy some things at the auction. The friend used the money to purchase all of Paul’s donated items back!

The 53rd annual Quillayute Valley Scholarship auction will be from 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday, March 18, and 10 a.m.- 8 p.m. Sunday, March 19, at the Forks High School Commons. To donate an item, contact Carlson at 360-640-8891, Paul at 360-640-8658 or Leppell at 360-640-1849. Make arrangements for items to be picked up or donations can be dropped off at the FHS main office on Spartan Avenue. Donations are tax deductible.

The event will be broadcast live on the radio and web at 96.7 FM and on the web at searchforks.com/qvsa.