A view of the items up for auction for the Skelton reward fund for the three missing brothers in Morenci, Mich. on Saturday March 19, 2011. The event, which raised at least $30,000, is a token of support from a tight-knit community that has toiled for months, worrying about the boys and where they've gone. Area residents have rallied behind a southern Michigan mother whose three young sons were last seen on Thanksgiving with their now-jailed father.
A fundraising event and auction held Saturday night in the Morenci High School gym brought in at least $30,000 to aid the search for Andrew Skelton, 9; Alexander Skelton, 7; and Tanner Skelton, 5.
John Skelton, 39, is jailed on a multimillion-dollar bond on kidnapping and unlawful imprisonment charges in the boys' disappearance. A Lenawee County judge has scheduled his trial to start June 7.
The boys' father has denied harming them and says he doesn't know where they are.
Among the items sold was a hand-made quilt with a picture of the boys. It drew a bid of $1,000, The Detroit News said.
"This is amazing ... overwhelming," said the boys' mother, Tanya Skelton. She said she thinks about the children every day.
"I want to know where they are, what happened" she said.
Family friend Kathye Herrera said more than 400 items were donated for the auction.
The quilt's winning bidder, Jeff Chittenden, said he bought it so Tanya Skelton could take the quilt home with her.
"It's what you do in a small town," said his wife, Penny Chittenden.