COEUR d’ALENE — The Pickle Man has done it again.

During the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 889 Auxiliary's annual fundraiser Dec. 3, two jars of Vic "Pickle Man" Eachon's crisp, juicy garlic dills were sold for $200.

"We were auctioning one jar and people started bidding on it all over the place. I was amazed!" VFW Post 889 Auxiliary President Beverly Hanson told The Press. "One person yelled out, 'I'll pay $200 for both jars of the pickles.' Well of course, it was sold."

Hanson, who is new to the area, said she thought it was just wild that somebody would pay $200 for two jars of Eachon's pickles.

"Vic is tickled," she said. "He was right there. He had a big smile on his face. His whole family had a table and they were so excited."

She has not tried one of the famous dills, but it is now certainly on her to-do list.

"I asked several people at the event, 'Why would people pay this large sum of money for pickles?'" she said. "The response always was, 'These are THE best pickles you'll ever taste and when you taste one you'll understand.' I can't wait to understand."

Vic, a 90-year-old World War II veteran, and his wife, Kathy, were happy to see the pickles once again be a hit at the annual auction. The pickles are never for sale, but Vic happily donates jars to community causes or presents them as gifts to his lucky friends and family members.

"We are just excited that we can still donate them and the money is used to help people," Kathy and Vic said.

The auction brought in more than $2,500 for the VFW, and Hanson is expecting the number to be more than $3,000 when the final numbers are tallied. Some of the funds will go to three families whose main breadwinners are deployed so they can still have a nice Christmas this year. No funds are kept on site at the VFW.

Hanson said when something incredible happens at the auction, such as a guest spending $200 on two jars of pickles, it really sends a message home.

"People in this area are very generous and they are very generous to veteran causes. We are all behind our veterans," she said. "I'm just so proud. The people here are so responsive to veteran needs. It just warms my heart. It's a 'yes' community."