A group of local ranchers approached the sale barn at the Okanogan County Fair with a goal of the miraculous in their hearts and a plan to take young Vance Reese’s feeder steer to $20,000. Kristi Reese/submitted photo
OKANOGAN COUNTY- Last Saturday, a group of local ranchers approached the sale barn at the Okanogan County Fair with a goal of the miraculous in their hearts and a plan to take young Vance Reese’s feeder steer to $20,000.
Reese, 17, a high school junior and Running Start student who plays basketball at Omak High School, celebrated his birthday, Friday night. Earlier in September, Reese lost his father, Jick Reese, after a battle with cancer.
“We had agreed to split it four ways between four families who love them so much,” said Nicole Kuchenbuch about their goal.
According to a Facebook post by Okanogan County resident Lonnie Good, he knew immediately that there was something going on when the steer’s price quickly climbed out of the normal price per pound of other steers. Good, along with everyone else witnessing the event knew something different was about to happen.
Kuchenbuch said when the bidding started the bids quickly shot to $17.50 per pound.
“We got the sale and then donated it back to sell again,” said Kuchenbuch.
The second time around, active bidders took the bid to $4.50 a pound and then said, “sell it again.” said Kuchenbuch.
The third time another group of active bidders took it to $5 per pound.
“There were others sitting near us that had also made flat rate donations as ‘add on’ support. All in all, this community took Vance to nearly $40,000,” said Kuchenbuch.
“Sold” for the third time, and everyone in the sale barn got to their feet and gave a long, emotion-filled applause. The auctioneer said the group was one of the most giving groups of people he had ever known.
“Everyone came to their feet to show Kristi, Kalli and Vance how much we love them and how very sorry we are for the loss of Jick Reese. He loved his wife and kids immensely and was a hard worker and a strong leader for their family. We know that money can’t really fix this but we are hoping it will keep those kids thinking toward a bright future,” said Kuchenbuch.
Kuchenbuch said Reese had deep love for the Okanogan County Fair and this seemed like the perfect way to honor his memory.
“This has absolutely been done before, right here at the Okanogan County Fair. A few times I believe. I can think of one just a few years ago. This county is very generous and very supportive. We’re all lucky to be here,” said Kuchenbuch.
“I was so blessed to witness this. This is newsworthy, this is the kind of stuff we long to hear, we cry when we see it, this is a community that cares. God help us to make this a norm,” said Good.
