OTHELLO — The parish hall at Sacred Heart Catholic Church was transformed Friday night as the Greater Othello Chamber of Commerce held its annual fundraiser banquet and auction. 

“This is our one and only fundraiser that we have for the year,” said Chamber Manager Jackie Wilhelm. “The money that we raise goes back into the community.” 

The event drew about 150 people, Wilhelm said. Besides a silent auction and a live auction conducted by Jake Barth of Chuck Yarbro Auctioneers, the evening featured dinner catered by Top Gun Concessions, desserts by the Othello Community Hospital, coffee from Conversatio Coffee Roaster and wine from RM Wineries.

Silent auction items were arranged on tables in side rooms for attendees to look over and — maybe — bid on. 

“There’s an Easter basket I’m positive I can’t afford, but look how beautiful it is,” said Emily Anderson.  

Jackie Wilson was looking over the items as well with an eye to sniping, or making a last-minute bid, on something she wanted. 

“I haven’t signed up for anything yet because I like to wait to see what everybody bids first, and then go from there,” she said. 

Besides the dinner and auction, the chamber also announced some awards at the banquet, honoring members of the Othello community who went above and beyond in 2024. The Business of the Year award, voted on by the community at large, was Brian Gentry Re/Max Real Estate. 

“When we're selecting business of the month, we make sure their employees are volunteering around the community,” Wilhelm said. “We want to see that they're partnering. We want to see that they're giving back to the community in one way or another.” 

The honorees for individual awards were introduced via a video. 

“Tonight, we come together to celebrate the heart of our community, the people who make it thrive,” Wilhelm said in the video. “From business leaders to community champions, these people are shaping our future.”

The award for K-6 Educator of the Year went to Lena Jenson. 

“She is strong, stubborn, caring and a loyal friend,” said Melissa Martinez, who teaches with Jenson at Hiawatha Elementary School. “But Lena is also that way as a teacher and a community member. Lena has impacted hundreds and hundreds of students in her 20-plus years as a teacher; she builds great and lasting relationships with them by supporting them academically and personally. She attends games, encourages them to come to school events and provides them with extra help when needed in the community.” 

“Mrs. Jenson was my fourth grade teacher,” said Sebastian Serrano. “I used to be a shy, hesitant boy in the classroom, but because of her love and passion towards me and her unwavering dedication, I pursued a lot of leadership positions I never expected to have.” 

Othello High School teacher Bailey Wilson was honored as the 7-12 Educator of the Year.  

“She has taken over school dances,” said OHS teacher Vanessa Billman. “Homecoming dances are fantastic. She's great with fundraising and working with the kids and coming up with ideas. And then on top of that, she's also an AVID teacher … Her ability to get you to say yes is always one of the things where I think I probably have the most respect for because if it was somebody else, I'd be like, ‘Yeah, no,’ but for Bailey, I will always say yes.” 

The Chamber’s Woman of the Year was Sharon Schutte. 

“I've known Sharon for over 60 years,” said Deena Vietzke. “She and I used to play in the alley between Spruce and Juniper when I would go to visit my grandma. I nominated Sharon Schutte as Woman of the Year for 2024 because she loves Othello as much as I do. She's been very involved in the community and has done wonderful things through the school district, Little League and many other places in our community.” 

The Man of the Year was Sharon’s brother-in-law, Othello High School Wrestling Coach Wayne Schutte. 

“I've known Wayne for about 40 years of my 53 years here in Othello,” OSD Superintendent Pete Perez said. “A particular impact I'd like to share about Wayne in my own life personally is what he taught me about being a teacher, what he taught me about discipline and what he taught me about being a father and a role model. And I can't think of a greater model in our community to pattern my life after.” 

“One thing that I love about him is he's such a class act in the way he does things,” OHS Wrestling Coach Rudy Ochoa Jr. said. “He demands perfection, and in everything that he does he leaves an impact that makes you want to be like him.” 

The final award was for Civil Servant of the Year, and that went to Sgt. Tomas Solano of the Adams County Sheriff’s Office. 

“Within two years of his hiring, he became a sergeant with the Sheriff’s Office, and since then he’s done nothing but amazing things,” said Adams County Sheriff Dale Wagner. “(He’s a) very good leader. Shows the qualities of a hero, in my opinion, … He's the winner of a Valor Award for the Sheriff's Office. He earned that through obvious acts of valor and lifesaving as well in the same act a couple of years ago. I can't say enough about Tomas Solano.” 

No estimate of the amount raised at the auction was available Monday. The auction funds many events in Othello, especially the Fourth of July celebration, which the chamber paid about $7,000 last year to put on. The Chamber also hosts a back-to-school movie night and a fall festival. 

“I want to thank the Othello community and its members for coming out to support the banquet,” Wilhelm said. “We look forward to hosting them every year, and we rely on their support, and the best way that they can support us is by showing up to our banquet every year.” 

    About 150 people came to support the local business community at the Greater Othello Chamber of Commerce fundraiser banquet and auction Friday.
  

    Jackie Wilson looks over the silent auction items at the Greater Othello Chamber of commerce auction Friday. Her strategy, she said, was to wait until the last minute and make the last bid on an item.