A two-week online boat auction, which ended last weekend, raised money to help support the Houlton Humane Society, the Ark Animal Sanctuary and the Cary Library in Houlton.
The Hutchinson family of Houlton, former owners of the popular Town and Country clothing store, decided to auction their 1994 Larson 17-foot boat with a Volvo engine, boat lift with canopy and boat trailer valued at $10,000 to benefit the community.
“Animals are near and dear to our heart, and the Cary Library, my father loved the Cary Library,” said Stephen Hutchinson. “We want to give back to these three charities.”
Rather than selling the boat outright, the family decided to do something different with the public auction with a reserve price of $5,000, he said.
“This isn’t just another used boat. It has been exceptionally well cared for, runs beautifully, and is in remarkable condition for its age,” he said.
The winning $7,100 bid came from Laura and Gino Seiders, owners of several Hodgdon businesses.
The Hutchinson family thanked the Seiders for their generosity and support.
“Your winning bid will make a lasting impact by helping Ark Animal Sanctuary, Houlton Humane Society, and Cary Library continue their important work in our community,” they posted on social media. “We also want to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who placed a bid, shared the auction, and cheered it on from beginning to end.”
Last week, Stephen Hutchinson began delivering the donations — which the family rounded up to $2,500 each — to the three local nonprofit organizations.
“Yesterday Steve came down and presented us with a check for $2,500,” said Lorraine Monfils, the owner of the Ark Animal Sanctuary in an online post. “We are beyond grateful for this generous donation. As a non profit who receives no town or state funding this will help us tremendously.”
“Our main emphasis is the charities,” Hutchinson said.
