GRIDLEY - Plenty of hungry bargain hunters braved cold temperatures Saturday for Gridley's annual community auction.

The downtown sale featured everything from lawn tools and antique furniture to rabbits. Crowds followed several auctioneers down Center Street with lively bidding on Japanese red maple and pine trees.

Auction organizer Clark Stoller passed out sandwiches to those helping with the annual sale.

"The auction certainly is a community event where everyone volunteers their time," Stoller said.

Stoller was pleased with the variety of merchandise available to buyers. "We sell everything from cars to antiques to livestock," he said.

The Gridley Community Club sponsors the sale as a way to raise money for several local organizations, such as the Boy Scouts, the Gridley Fest and the local swimming pool.

Stoller estimated about $30,000 will be collected from the sale, with the club netting about $2,500.

The near-freezing temperatures kept some people away from the 49th annual sale, Stoller said. "The crowd is down some because of the cold, but at least it's not raining," he said.

Young and old buyers

Among the youngest buyers at the auction were Lily Schumacher and her brother, Joseph, from Ohio. They were in Gridley for a visit with their grandparents. Lily kept a close eye on the pair of bunnies bought at the sale, while Joseph peered down a telescope sitting on the edge of the street.

"We're going to try to get the telescope for Joseph - he likes science," Lily said.

Treva Hinkle of Benson had the day off and came to the sale.

"Usually, I have to work when they have this. I just came over today to see if there was anything I couldn't live without. I haven't seen anything I can't do without, but my husband is looking at a tiller and lawn roller," she said.

The Gridley Community Club raises funds by collecting a small commission from each sale.