Jon Kirgis, a sophomore art major, paid $100 for a date with Amanda Wood, a senior English major.

Kirgis and his friend Rick Benson, a sophomore art major, dressed up in suits, hats, glasses, fake beards and spoke in fake British accents for the date auction Thursday in the Pemberton Grand Hall.

They competed against each other for various dates throughout the auction, but Kirgis ended up spending the most on Wood.

“I wanted to bid $100,” Kirgis said. “I knew the money was for charity. I ended up spending around $140 on four different people.”

Wood said she entered the auction because she is a resident assistant of Pemberton Hall.

“We didn’t have to do it, but I thought it would be really good for my girls to see a good influence,” Wood said.

Wood also said she and Kirgis are very good friends.

“He better take me bowling or something,” Wood said. “Although he probably spent all his money to buy me.”

For the event, residence hall representatives set up a runway covered with balloons. They set up a projection with information on each date as the participants walked back and forth on the runway. Each date had a time limit of 60 seconds for bidding.

The auction earned a total of $512 with more than 30 people participating in the auction. All proceeds went to the Mattoon Public Action to Deliver Shelter.

Marielle Sarkan, the vice president of Pemberton’s hall council and a freshman history major, said she considered the event a success since last year the auction only earned $300.

“I’m very proud of the outcome. This is my first event as V.P. and P.A.D.S. is in desperate need of funding,” Sarkan said.

A date with Sarkan was also auctioned off.

“Normally I’m a very shy person but this let me step outside my comfort zone,” Sarkan said. “I knew that even if I only went for $1 it would go to P.A.D.S.”

Seth Schroeder can be reached at 581-2812

or [email protected]