ROANOKE, Va. – You could end up owning the Mill Mountain Star with the help of a new fundraiser idea.
Kiwanis Club of Roanoke is auctioning off the landmark to raise money for community projects and scholarships.
The highest bidder will own the star for a year by having their name on a plaque nearby.
Hoping to attract more people at their live fundraiser, Eric Danielsen, the operations manager for Kiwanis Pancake and Auction Day, said the idea was originally a joke.
“Because the star is so iconic and so huge, it would be ridiculous to try to sell it,” he said. “That’s why it was such a joke.”
Throughout the year, the Kiwanis organization will maintain the star and the surrounding landscape.
Danielsen said last year the pancake and auction day fundraiser raised about $27,000.
He hopes this year to raise $50,000 as pancake ticket sales are selling fast.
The drive-thru pancake and live auction for the star will be from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. on May 8 at the Berglund Center.
The organization is also hosting an online auction starting May 1.