To the editor:

Being involved in the Rotary auction is a special experience. This isn’t because we get a lot of stuff and turn it into money for our community (which we do), but for the interaction between the people who make the auction possible.

Mark Byl and I “run” the Marine Department. I put the run in parenthesis because we have a core of volunteers (thank you so much Jim and Gunther!) every year who are as responsible for the results of the marine department as Mark and I. But last night I had an experience which embodies all the good things about the auction.

As with all departments, we get a lot of old stuff. One of our best sellers is outboard engines. Right now we have a collection ranging from a 40 horse big old thing that will probably become scrap metal to a classic British Seagull engine. To help maximize what we can get from the sale, I asked our next door neighbor department head Aron Strom (he heads the tools and automotive department, which we rely on heavily for tools and help) if he knew someone that might be willing to take a look at our outboards.

Sure enough, Aron asks a friend who says of course he will help. So last night Brian comes to the site after his work day, getting there about 7 p.m. He then sets about lifting, fueling, starting (at least attempting to start) this collection of outboards. I am amazed how a guy with his build just picks these things up and plops them in the test tank.

We go through about six motors, it’s getting on past 8 and the next one is a 20-horsepower Johnson.

We discover the motor’s pivot pin is frozen and we can’t rock it into the water barrel. So Brian picks the thing up and sets it on the ground so we can try to free up this stubborn pin. I walk away to get some WD-40.

By the time I get back, there is another non-Rotarian, Clint, working on this pin. Now Clint has just put in a shift in the Building Materials (where the real men work) after his workday and was literally on his way home when this stupid engine spoke to him. He was on his knees, working to free the bracket, and succeeding! Pushing, levering and hammering to free this thing up.

I had to ask, “Clint, why are you doing this? It’s late, you’re tired and you are helping another department?”

His answer was quick, “I’m helping my community … And it’s fun!”

With Clint’s help we get the pin free enough so we can test the motor. Brian lifts the thing up (and a 20-horse engine is not light) and proceeds with testing. 3 minutes later the engine roars into life and as it turns out it was the best running engine of the lot!

Clint continues on home, Brian and I finish up the outboards with the Seagull, which is fine but no spark. By 9 p.m. we are all out of there (until 8:30 the next morning).

JIM LAWS

Bainbridge Island