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<p>WILKES-BARRE&#8212; Among the items auctioned at the Wilkes-Barre Crime Watch Coalition K-9 Fundraiser on Sunday were articles from an one of the stars if a popular TV crime drama &#8212; &#8220;Criminal Minds.&#8221;</p><p>Kristen Vangsness, who plays computer genius &#8220;Penelope&#8221; on the program, was &#8220;kind enough and crime-conscious enough to send us an autographed program script as well as signed photographs,&#8221; said coalition President Charlotte Raup.</p><p>Raup is the Parsons resident who collaborated with members of the 14-unit coalition to organize the fundraiser in order to provide financial assistance for the city&#8217;s two new K-9 dogs.</p><p>&#8220;We went out and asked for contributions from the business sector, sports and politics. We wanted to get as much as possible in order to make the event as successful as possible,&#8221; she said.</p><p>Overall, Ross said 89 items ranging from &#8220;Penelope&#8217;s&#8221; items to autographed baseballs, bus tickets and event tickets, gift certificates and even a book documenting old Sans Souci Park in Hanover Township were obtained.</p><p>In the end, the auction produced about $6,000 &#8212; all of which was donated to the K-9 unit. Funding is currently being used for training and supplies.</p><p>The auctioneer, Tommy Woods, is a Northeastern Pennsylvania personality in his own right. Woods was associated with WARM radio in the 1960s and later became nationally-known at WTOP radio in Washington, D.C., and later with the former Mutual Broadcasting System.</p><p>Woods, who is a &#8220;Blackman Patch&#8221; buddy of Ross, recalled working during the Vietnam conflict, meeting such major political leaders as the late Senator Barry Goldwater as well as doing a radio broadcast at the funeral of President Harry Truman in Independence, Mo., where the assembled included Presidents Richard Nixon and Lyndon Johnson.</p><p>Now retired, Woods resides in Wilkes-Barre Township.</p><p>Another major contribution came from Gus Genetti, who provided space at the Best Western Genetti Hotel and Convention Center for the civic-minded residents to conduct their affair.</p><p>Ross pointed out there was no admission charge. &#8220;Everyone who came, came out of a concern for crime and the need for people to be alert,&#8221; Raup said. &#8220;We&#8217;re looking to prevent crime and the dogs can be a big asset in this goal.&#8221;</p><p>Raup pointed out that the present 14-unit coalition dates back to the 1960s, when current Mayor Tony George was a police officer. &#8220;Now we have 700 people watching for crime and I want to emphasize no one has to give a name when reporting an incident. These people have been given a PIN number and when they call 911 to provide information, all they have to do is give their PIN number in order to be recognized. No names.&#8221;</p><p>&#8220;We&#8217;re grateful for all the cooperation in this. The newspapers have helped. TV has helped, as has Facebook, &#8221; Raup said.</p><p>She added that the group also raised $2,000 at a chicken dinner conducted in July in Wilkes-Barre besides the contributions from the auction.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Woods auctions off a historical document from the Sterling Hotel on Sunday night with the help of Sharon Katsock. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/web1_TTL091916K9auction.jpg</photo0><caption0>Woods auctions off a historical document from the Sterling Hotel on Sunday night with the help of Sharon Katsock. </caption0><photoCredit0>Clark Van Orden | For Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/web1_TTL091916K9auction1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Tommy Woods, auctioneer at an auction at Best Western Genetti Hotel &amp; Conference Center in Wilkes-Barre to benefit the Wilkes-Barre Police K-9 Unit on Sunday, auctions off a Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins hockey puck. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/web1_TTL091916K9auction1.jpg</photo1><caption1>Tommy Woods, auctioneer at an auction at Best Western Genetti Hotel &amp; Conference Center in Wilkes-Barre to benefit the Wilkes-Barre Police K-9 Unit on Sunday, auctions off a Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins hockey puck. </caption1><photoCredit1>Clark Van Orden | For Times Leader </photoCredit1></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Tom Huntington</p><p>For Times Leader</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach the Times Leader newsroom at 570-829-7242 or on Twitter @TLNews.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Sports stars to TV stars help make Wilkes-Barre K-9 Unit auction a success