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PARKERSBURG - More than 250 people attended the 28th annual Harvest of Opportunities benefit auction for SW Resources to help raise money for the program which provides vocational services and employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities.

The auction was held Friday night at the Fraternal Order of Eagles 2307 at 627 Lubeck Ave. in south Parkersburg.

Sammie Burdette, vice president of development and rehabilitation for SW Resources, said Friday's attendance was down slightly from previous years but there was a good turnout. She attributed the slight drop to a number of factors, including the economy, Friday's weather and the auction's change in night, from Saturday in previous years to this year's event on "football" Friday.

"The community has always supported SW Resources and I don't think they will let us down tonight," Burdette said.

The event began with a silent auction in a tent next to the Eagles building for two-and-half-hours and then moved indoors for the live auction conducted by John Spiker of Jane Lew, W.Va. Burdette estimated more than 700 items were on sale between the two auctions.

"I'm impressed with the number of donations and how it has been organized to have a benefit auction," Spiker said Friday evening. "I can see a lot of support from the community... I can tell a good community effort to support this benefit auction."

Marie Foster Gnage, president of West Virginia University at Parkersburg, was among those bidding on items Friday night. Gnage said she has been interested in the event for several years, but this was the first time her schedule permitted her to attend the auction.

"The college has made a donation so I want to come over and support the event to the extent that I possibly can," she said. "Besides, it's an opportunity to get in some good Christmas shopping."

Gnage said she was putting bids down on items in the silent auction, but was also looking forward to participating in the live auction and hopefully going home with some nice items, even if it meant a nearly empty wallet.

"There's some really nice things here. It's wonderful that the community has obviously come together and put in quite a few donations," Gnage said.

A steady stream of people continued through the early evening visiting the tent where the silent auction items were on display, with people putting down bids on a large variety of items and then possibly going back to bid again after others had placed bids on the same items.

"I'm really interested in the Sheltered Workshop and helping them out. I usually buy a lot of stuff I don't need, but that's the reason I come," said Harold Casto of Parkersburg, who has been coming to the event and supporting the program for about five years.

Debbie and Steve Fought of Parkersburg were interested in dinner certificates, tools and possible gift items at Friday night's auction. It was the first time they had been able to attend the event for several years.

"It's a great event and I like to support all of the programs," Debbie Fought said.

Burdette said it may be a few days before the results of Friday's benefit are known, but the goal was to try to reach $100,000 this year. The auction has raised about $1.9 million since it began in 1981. All proceeds raised from the auction stay within SW Resources and are used to continue services and pioneer new programs for people with disabilities, officials said.

The donated items auctioned Friday included antiques, collectibles, clothing and accessories, gift certificates for dinners, entertainment, home furnishings, trips, arts and crafts, tools, celebrity items and sports items.