Photos: Community Backs Berkley High School Athletics at Tin Can Auction

Berkley and Huntington Woods residents came out in full force Friday to support one program near and dear to their hearts, Berkley High School athletics.

The 12th annual Tin Can Auction, hosted by the Berkley Bear Athletic Boosters, attracted an estimated 1,500 people to the Berkley High School west gym. Profits were expected to exceed the $30,000 that was raised last year, said Lisa Baker, the Tin Can Auction committee chairperson.

“It’s all for the kids,” said Eric Naumann, a 30-year Berkley resident. Naumann was beaming after he won two sheet pans' worth of Rice Krispy treats.

Ron Kane, athletic director and assistant principal, began his tenure at Berkley High School last fall. Quickly, he has witnessed the vital impact the Berkley Bear Athletic Boosters have on BHS’s athletic program.

“They put in time and effort to make sure our kids enjoy the athletic programs,” Kane said.

Financially, the Berkley Bear Athletic Boosters assist all BHS athletic programs with equipment and uniforms.

Cathy Mackool, president of the Berkley Bear Athletic Boosters, explained how the boosters strive to never turn away a request for financial support.

“We give 50 percent of what any team is asking for,” Mackool said. 

The boosters rely on the money raised from the Tin Can Auction, their biggest fundraiser, to ensure they have the means to support all requests.

Yet, the coaches realize the Tin Can Auction is more than just financial support.

Varsity girls soccer coach Cliff Brandmier said the Tin Can Auction unifies all sports to work for a common cause.

“It’s a big event that all teams come together for to make all of our programs stronger,” Brandmier said.

Varsity baseball coach Jordan Gruppen sees the auction as a means to market the success of BHS’s athletic programs.

“It brings the community together,” Gruppen said. “It gets the word out about our events, and the more fans, the better.”

And the community, obviously, enjoyed showing its support.

To win a prize, participants first registered for a number. With their number, they bought tickets ranging from 25 cents each for general prizes, $1 for grand prizes and $5 for super grand prizes. After writing their number on their purchased tickets, they were ready to start bidding. In order to bid, they simply dropped their ticket into the can next to each prize.

With nearly 700 prizes, it was not hard for participants to find an item into whose can they wanted to drop a ticket, or 50, in hopes of winning.

One of the biggest attractions on the general prize table was the 53-inch-high teddy bear. 

Huntington Woods resident Hannah Hook, 9, sunk all $5 worth of her tickets into its tin. “I love stuffed animals,” she said. “I want it to be my bed.”

Unfortunately, Hannah was among the many young participants whose hearts were broken when their number was not called. Lucky bear winner Charlotte Marchese, an Anderson Middle School seventh-grader, jumped up and down when she won the bear.

Local residents were not the only ones trying to cash in on prizes. Briana and Beth Carton came from Rochester Hills.

“It’s an amazing event,” Beth Carton said. “Our program should figure out how to do this.”

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