Five years ago, Nancy Conard suggested that the Island County Historical Society shake up the format of its annual dinner and auction by honoring special guests.
Little did she know that one day she’d be one of the featured guests herself.
Conard, the Town of Coupeville’s mayor, joins longtime Coupeville bank manager Janice Vaughn as the honored guests for the Island County Museum’s biggest fundraiser, which takes place at 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6, at the Oak Harbor Elks Lodge.
“I’m embarrassed,” Conard said. “Flattered but embarrassed. I certainly don’t measure up to the previous guests.”
Conard is retiring after 20 years as the town’s mayor, while Vaughn recently retired after 38 years at Whidbey Island Bank.
This is the fifth year the auction and dinner has featured special guests.
It started with the honoring of Wallie Funk, the former Whidbey News-Times and South Whidbey Record publisher, in 2011 — at the urging of Conard.
He was followed by Helen Chatfield-Weeks, Vern Olsen and brothers Roger and Al Sherman.
“It makes for a nice program rather than a raw fundraiser,” said Rick Castellano, the museum’s executive director. “It was a great idea. It’s also kind of cool to be able to honor Nancy. This was all her idea.”
Dale Sherman will serve as auctioneer for the event, which will be themed after Island County’s farming families.
There will be a live and silent auction. Live auction items that will be up for bid include two club-level tickets to the Seahawks-Browns game Dec. 20, a number of lodging packages and 10 Dungeness crabs delivered to one’s doorstep ready to eat.
Tickets are $75 per person, which includes dinner, with discounts for purchasing entire tables. Tickets may be bought at the museum near the Coupeville wharf or by calling 360-678-3310.
Proceeds go toward supporting the museum’s programs and operations.
Castellano said the Seahawks’ tickets are at the 10-yard line, nine rows up from the field, right behind the Seahawks’ bench.
“You can hear guys yelling at each other on the sideline,” Castellano said.
