ST. REGIS – Tricon Timber and the county community came together to help one of their own, Saturday, holding a benefit auction to raise money for a resident who had lost everything.

Taunya Erickson, a Tricon employee and St. Regis resident, recently lost her home in a house fire. While she and her family were safe, her home as well as everything she owned had been lost. In response, Stacy Neill, the person behind arranging the benefit, worked to set up an event to help Erickson get back on her feet.

Saturday evening, dozens of residents came to the St. Regis Community Center to enjoy a spaghetti dinner as they offered support and assistance to a neighbor as well as a coworker.

“That’s the good thing about being in a small community,” Neill said of how great the response to the benefit was.

A number of businesses and residents around the county as well as the surrounding area donated items to be auctioned off. All told there were 51 items for the live auction and another 30 to 40 for the silent auction.

The auction items included vouchers to various businesses, kitchen appliances, hunting equipment and even a $2,500 Grizz package for an upcoming home football game. While auctioning off the Grizz package, a bidding war ensued between two people; in the end, though, the competition resulted in even more money coming through when one of the bidders offered that if his competitor raised the bid, he would match it and forego trying to win the package himself.

Erickson said she is extremely grateful to everyone who came out to the benefit dinner and to everyone who made donations for the auctions.

“I think it’s just amazing to have the support that I have and the wonderful family and the wonderful friends that I have; it means a lot to me,” she said.

While she would have a better idea after taking the time to add everything up, Neill estimated they had raised approximately $20,000 over the course of the evening. She felt it was a good day with how much was raised.

“I’m so happy we were able to do this for her and actually raise enough to actually help out,” said Neill.

Others interested in helping with donations should contact Neill at 552-2337.