The signposts for $4 million are getting pretty close for the Lyle Area Cancer Auction. This year, the annual fundraising event for cancer research stormed past last year’s total, raising $248,500 this year, nearly $17,000 more than last year’s total of $231,777. “It was an awesome year,” said LAC Chair Larry Ricke. “Everything went smoothly. Everything went great — as planned.” Up until this year, the auction had raised a total of $3.7 million and its not hurtling toward the $4 million mark thanks to this year’s auction. But while it’s easy to laud a small town and its efforts, Ricke said Monday that the auction is much broader than just the efforts of the Lyle community. “A great job done in southern Minnesota and Northern Iowa,” he said. “The one thing I can not stress enough is that everybody says small communities do so much. It’s not just the community. We got people from Iowa, Minnesota. It’s a joint effort in this area.” This was the 46th annual LAC and there were indications early that this year might be special. On Friday night, the first night of the auction, it raised $83,004, $48,299 of which was raised by 9:30 p.m. On Saturday, things kept rolling in as Ricke kicked off the day by reading a long list of cash donations to the auction as well as a $500 presentation by the River Rats Car Club.  “Yesterday was amazing,” Ricke told Saturday’s crowd. “It’s cold out there, but it gets hot in here.” As with most years, the event boasted extraordinary examples of giving. A simple volleyball that has been auctioned off over the last few years in and of itself has raised a total of $10,600. Some of the sales were met by matching money and a Busch Light Neon sign went for 3,850, surpassing a similar sign that sold at a silent auction at the companion event to the LAC, the Lucille Johnson Pool Tournament for $3,600. Another person, who gave $10,000 last year, gave another $10,000 this year. All of it is a highlight each year that Ricke believes is on so many people’s calendars. “I seriously think people wait for it,” he said. “I seriously think people wait for it because I can’t say it enough. It is one fun benefit. It’s a lot of fun.” “It was an awesome job done by everybody,” he continued. “Another successful year and we start planning for next year.” The total from this past weekend’s event was donated to the Eagles Cancer Telethon on Sunday. The post LAC raises $248,500 at this year’s event, edges closer to $4 million total raised appeared first on Austin Daily Herald.