4-H member hones his bid-taking skills
Those attending the Butler County 4-H Benefit Auction on Saturday at the Vagabonds in Lyndora, will likely have their bids taken by 4-H member Wyatt Croll of Slippery Rock. He’s kind of a pro, really.
The 18-year-old son of Roger and Beth Croll has honed his bid-taking skills with his family’s Croll’s Mills Auction Service. The 4-H sale is just one of the 100 that Wyatt will help with this year.
Is there a skill in catching the subtle nods, eyebrow raises and ear tugs of bidders at an auction? Absolutely, and Wyatt says the key is to stay focused, “have good eyes, and most importantly, have fun with the crowd.”
A rowdy “yesssssss” or a hardy “yup, yup yup” also helps add to the excitement and possibly even drive up the going bid.
It’s the bid-taker’s job to keep the buyers engaged and aware of the current price. To do that, Wyatt must stay in tune with the auctioneer.
He and his dad make a great team when Roger’s doing the auctioneering, and they work hard to make it an enjoyable experience for everyone.
“Our 4-H auction helps our local clubs in the community,” Wyatt said. “We have really good donations, plus you’ll get to have a lot of fun that night.”
Doors open at 4:30 p.m., and the bidding starts at 6 p.m. A food stand will offer dinner options and a snack menu, and the 4-H families are coordinating a bake sale with homemade treats.
More than 200 items will be offered in the live and silent auctions, and everything is donated by local businesses and the 4-H families.
Some of this year’s offerings include two sewing machines, a Roku, a Fitbit, jewelry, handmade quilts, and Alpaca fiber products. A variety of themed gift baskets include car-detailing kits, movie fun nights, and two baskets have hunting equipment, including a Leatherman tool, a scope and even a digital game camera.
The largest fundraiser for the county 4-H program, all auction proceeds go directly to support members’ participation in county, regional, state and national 4-H events.
Wyatt is a 10-year veteran of the Renfrew Riders horse club and owns three horses — a Hackney pony, a miniature horse and an Appaloosa. He joined 4-H because “I like to show my horses and show them with the other 4-H kids. You learn more that way.”
Wyatt also represents his club on the county’s Youth Council. He is a senior at the Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School.
Butler County 4-H is part of the nation’s largest non-formal youth development organization that provides its members, ages 8-19, the opportunity to “learn by doing,” through a variety of hands-on projects.
Our county has nearly 30 different 4-H clubs with more than 330 members taking small and large animal projects as well as sewing and baking, shooting sports and robotics, among others.
For more information about Butler County 4-H, contact Jean Kummer at the Extension Office at 724-287-4761.
