Mineral Wells Area News

Reporting & Photos By Amy Meyer | Mineral Wells Area News

MINERAL WELLS — The United Way of Palo Pinto County’s annual Penny Auction drew its largest crowd yet Sunday afternoon, marking a milestone moment for the long-running community fundraiser.

Held for the first time at the Crazy Water Hotel, the event welcomed more than 230 attendees — nearly 100 more than last year — and raised significantly more money to support local nonprofits. Organizers said early totals show donations increased by more than 50% compared with 2024.

United Way President Hannah Burkhall said the strong turnout reflects both the community’s generosity and the refreshed energy surrounding the event. “It honestly was so surreal standing up there seeing this event look the way it did and all the people and new people there,” Burkhall said. “It was incredible.”

The Penny Auction, first launched in 2011, has steadily grown into one of the organization’s two major fundraisers. Alongside the annual Half CRAZY Half Marathon & 5K, scheduled for Nov. 8, 2025, the auction fuels United Way’s annual campaign, which runs from Sept. 1 through Oct. 31.

The event itself combines the excitement of a raffle with the charm of a community game night. Guests purchase a ticket that provides them with cups filled with numbered balls. Those numbers are placed into a spinning barrel, like a bingo hopper, and drawn throughout the afternoon. A variety of prizes are up for grabs, and participants can bid by dropping coins — a penny, quarter or dollar depending on the item’s value — into their cups. If their number is called and they’ve placed a coin in, they win the prize. After each drawing, the coins are dumped into the main collection bucket, which is tallied at the end of the event. Local law enforcement officers pitched in by helping empty the cups after each round.

Last year, the organization awarded $68,000 in grants to local nonprofits. This year, the goal is $100,000, and Burkhall said they are already more than halfway there. “Hopefully, we will get our thermometers up on the building this week,” she said, referring to the large signs that track campaign progress.

If community members want to help the United Way of Palo Pinto County, they still have an opportunity this year. Runners and walkers can sign up for the Half Marathon & 5K at runsignup.com.

United Way of Palo Pinto County has deep roots in the community, having operated locally since 1957. The organization’s mission is to advance health, education and financial stability for residents, with 100 percent of funds raised staying in the county.

Local agencies supported by United Way include the Salvation Army Service Extension, New Haven Ministries, Mineral Wells Senior Center, Meals on Wheels of Palo Pinto County, Palo Pinto 4-H, Girl Scouts of Texas Oklahoma Plains, and Mineral Wells Center of Life, among others.

“This year we really wanted to up the ante, so we moved it to Crazy Water, stepped up the prizes and made it feel like a real fundraiser,” Burkhall said. “I am so excited to help bring awareness to this agency and help get it to its full potential.”