TOPPENISH — A 720-pound black steer trotted back and forth in a pen as an auctioneer called out bids. But this was more than just another day in the auction ring.
"Starting at a dollar, do I have a dollar?" he said. A buyer raised his hand. "A $1.10, do I have a 1.10?" the auctioneer continued. Buyers raised their hands as the bidding climbed to $1.20 a pound for the animal. "Sold," the auctioneer called out.
But the steer stayed in the pen and bidding resumed. The animal was auctioned off seven more times.
In all, the animal garnered more than $10,000 in a special fundraiser auction to put beef into area food banks, which are seeing an unprecedented number of people for whom the Great Recession hasn't ended.
Food banks mostly hand out nonperishable, starchy items such as dry cereal, rice and macaroni, but are often short of foods high in protein like fresh beef.
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