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Masons’ scholarship auction is a son of a gun

Matt Solomon of Alpine Arms in Eagle is helping coordinate the inaugural Masonic scholarship gun auction. On July 26, the Masonic Lodge in Eagle will auction hundreds of firearms to raise money for its scholarship fund. Sellers can donate or consign guns for the auction.
Randy Wyrick|randy@vaildaily.com |

If You Go

What: Masonic Lodge scholarship gun auction

When: July 26, 10 a.m. until everything is gone

Where: Masons building (Castle Lodge 122) at the corner of Third and Capitol St in Eagle

Information: Castle Lodge 122 is a non-profit fraternity of Masons, partnering with Alpine Arms to raise money for its local scholarship fund. To donate or consign guns, they must be in the Lodge’s hands two days before the auction. Call Alpine Arms at 970-306-4121 or go to alpinearms.com.

To view the list of guns in the auction, go to alpinearms.com.

Fees: All winners will be responsible for sales tax. There will be a $20 transfer fee added, this covers the cost for paperwork and the CBI background check fee. Credit cards will incur a 4 percent processing charge to offset the fees the Lodge is charged.

The local Masonic Lodge is raising scholarship money with a bang.

The Masons are hosting their inaugural gun auction, featuring hundreds of firearms from several dealers and individuals. The event is expected to attract people from all over the Rocky Mountain West.

Local Masons Matt Solomon, owner of Alpine Arms, and Don Anderson are coordinating the auction.



“This is something the people in our lodge decided was important. A college education can change lives and possibly lives for generations to come,” Anderson said.

The Masons have been awarding scholarships to local high school students for decades. The winners can use the money to attend colleges and universities as well as vocational schools.

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This is just a different way to raise the money, Solomon said.

“Buy a gun, help a kid go to college! College is expensive, and you’ll help a local student pay for it when you buy your next gun through our scholarship funding auction,” Solomon said.

The way the auction works

The auction is set for July 26 at the Masonic Lodge in Eagle. The guns will be on display prior to the auction.

The process is simple.

• Show up and bid, or bid remotely.

• Consign a gun.

• Donate a gun.

Every dime above the wholesale price goes to the Lodge and its scholarship fund.

For buyers from out of the area, there’s a gun list on the website alpinearms.com. If you see a gun you want, tell them what you want and what your minimum bid is.

You can bid remotely by phone. If you’re going to bid remotely, you need to call in the week before the auction with your credit card number, product number and the maximum bid you are willing to pay for the item.

If people want to donate guns or consign guns, those options are also available.

Consignment guns need to be dropped off to Alpine Arms no later than two days before the event. You’ll give 20 percent of final bid price on consignments to the Masons’ scholarship fund.

“Don’t bring guns to the auction. Bring cash,” Solomon said.

There will also be guns at the auction not listed on the website.

Solomon and others in the firearms industry are putting up some or all of their inventory.

“We’re putting every in-stock firearm at Alpine Arms up in the auction, and some other dealers are sending guns up, as well,” Solomon said.

It’s not a going-out-of-business sale for Alpine Arms. They’re doing fine and are in business to stay, Solomon said.

“Castle Lodge No. 122 is a group of men who want to help their community. This is a way to do just that by helping to make college a little more affordable for some local kids,” Anderson said.

Shawn Hagler is the auctioneer. All you have to do is bring some money and raise your paddle, Solomon said.

Hagler is worth the trip just to see him work, Johnson said.

He’s a Colorado state champion auctioneer and a world champion ringman at the World Automobile Auctioneering Championship.

Hagler also competes professional as a rodeo team roper and played football on the University of Northern Colorado’s 1997 Division II national championship team. He earned his degree in speech communication.

Staff Writer Randy Wyrick can be reached at 970-748-2935 and rwyrick@vaildaily.com.


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