The well-known saying, “April showers bring May flowers,” resonates particularly well this year. However, in 2026, it might be more accurate to say that the consistent efforts from January through April have paved the way for May’s achievements. The time, creativity, dedication, and countless volunteer hours contributed by Rotarians, youth groups, businesses, and community members are the driving forces behind the success of the 53rd Annual Flip Flops & Flamingos Youth Benefit Dinner & Auction. These collective efforts translate directly into significant support for the youth of Gem County.The “May flowers” symbolize the grant awards typically distributed in May to youth organizations that submit funding requests to the Rotary Club of Emmett Foundation, Inc.
A Rich History
This event, formerly known as the Rotary Youth Auction, was initiated in 1973 by five dedicated, community-focused men: Eddie Heath, Ray Rohrbacher, Jim Garland, Dr. Dale Olson (Doc), and Joe Adams. While Ray is the sole survivor, we honor and appreciate all of them for their vision 53 years ago that launched this endeavor. The group convened at the President Café, where Doc Olson proposed the need for an annual fundraiser for Gem County youth. After much deliberation, they decided to host an annual auction, inviting local businesses, merchants, and community members to donate valuable items for auction, with proceeds directed to youth groups that applied for funding. Their initial goal was to raise $3,100, and they successfully achieved it. By 1974-1975, the five charter members established Youth, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, allowing donors to receive receipts for their contributions. The auction became known as the Youth Auction, a name that endures to this day.
Over the next two to three decades, the Youth Auction took place at the stockyards on Salesyard Road, featuring a variety of unusual items, including:
- Chicken eggs
- Carol’s cinnamon rolls (which fetched $1,000 one year)
- Books signed by Sen. James McClure and Congressman George Hansen
- A mother-in-law toilet seat
- 25 bales of hay
- A pallet of sand
- Farm animals
- A Corvette
- An ashtray from Gov. Cecil Andrus
- A 1956 pickup
- A pen from Vice President Nelson Rockefeller
- A case of nylon stockings
- Yard art
- Antiques
- Art
- 5 yards of concrete
- And even a kitchen sink!
However, one consistent donation every year since the auction's inception has been beef from the Little family of Emmett. Beginning in 1973, David Little contributed a live steer. In recent years, Jim, Judy, and Brad Little have continued this tradition, donating live beef and coordinating with local butchers for processing and wrapping. Bidders could choose to bid on a quarter, half, or the entire beef, depending on the auctioneer's presentation. This year, come and bid on a fattened beef, generously donated by the Judy Hinman and Brad Little Families.
Evolution of the Auction
In those early years, after collecting donations, a sale bill listing auction items was printed and distributed throughout town, left on counters for later reading, and posted in storefront windows. Community members, numbering between 80 to 100, gathered to bid on the donated items, with some attending more for bargains than for fundraising purposes. The auctions continued for years under Youth, Inc. During the early 1980s, a gentleman named Dan Siebler moved to Emmett, and having been a member of a Rotary Club in his previous location, he sought to transfer to one in Emmett, but found none existed. At the President Café, he connected with many Youth, Inc. members and discussed the advantages of forming a Rotary Club in Emmett. Since these men were all like-minded gentlemen, they joined forces in 1983, and successfully became the charter members of the Rotary Club of Emmett. Over the next two decades, the Rotary Club of Emmett assisted with the Youth, Inc. auction, which then became known as the Rotary Youth Auction. Around the turn of the millennium, the Youth Auction was relocated to the atrium at Emmett High School. During some of those years, 4-H clubs provided concessions, such as pulled pork sandwiches, coleslaw, and beverages, to raise funds, while the Girl Scouts held bake sales during the Youth Auction.
In 2003, the Rotary Club of Emmett sought to create a fun and safe environment for Gem County youth without imposing significant costs on parents. They rented air-filled bounce houses, provided golf balls, golf clubs, and set up a golfing area, along with grills to serve hamburgers and hot dogs for just a dollar each. They invited other clubs and organizations to join in, as long as their offerings were free for the children. At that time, the auction sometimes took place on Friday nights, running until 11 PM, and the following morning, the Rotarians would be at the Gem Island Sports Complex by 8:30 AM to prepare for Youth Appreciation Day!
A few years later, in 2006, the Rotary Club established the Rotary Club of Emmett Foundation, Inc., allowing them to manage funds designated for scholarships for youth in Gem County, which had been allocated when the girl’s home in Emmett closed. Since then, the funds raised from the Rotary Youth Auction and the associated expenses have been overseen by the Rotary Club of Emmett Foundation, Inc.
Stay tuned for next week’s update to discover what’s happening with all the pink flamingos around town and the continuation of the Rotary Youth Auction’s history!