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Local woman lives her dream one bid at a time
Sometimes it takes a while for dreams to come true. NEWS 5's Dennis Kellogg introduces us to one central Nebraska woman who followed her dream - a dream she is now living. It is time to spend "A Day in the Heartland."
Ora Adler was in her forties with her children mostly raised before she decided to pursue her dream of becoming an auctioneer. It is a dream that started decades earlier. "I used to tail along with my father as he went to auctions and I was just taken back by the chant of the auctioneer," said Adler. She went through auction school, where she developed her own style. "I have always kind of been a little bit slower so the people can understand me. So many times you will go to auctions and they will say, 'What is the auctioneer saying?' And so a lot of people have commented, 'I do like to come to your auctions because I can understand you'," said Adler. As a woman, though, Ora found it hard to get hired. So she started her own business. "There just were not many women auctioneers and still to this day there might be, you could count them on one hand, how many there are in this state," Adler said. While men may dominate the auctioneering profession, Ora said she feels right at home being one of the few female auctioneers in the state. "I do not want to be one of the guys out there, you know with a cowboy hat on, trying to be one of them. And I found that the men do respect me and they treat me like a woman and that is what I really want," said Adler. Ora has earned her respect. For the past 21 years, she has been calling auctions, usually selling household items, antiques and collectibles. She often works with senior citizens, many of whom are letting go of items they have cherished for a lifetime. "It is a finalization for them. You have to be real sensitive and I base my auction business being a Christian and working with these people. You have to be honest with them," said Adler. She said that is important because many times, she works with people during one of the most difficult days of their life. "I do remember a farm auction down by Red Cloud where the last item we sold was their dog. And that was kind of a hard thing that we had to do then," Adler said. The long days on her feet, though, have paid off. This year, Ora became the first woman to earn the Nebraska State Auctioneer of the Year award. "It was a very humbling experience. The Auctioneer of the Year is something that you have to be nominated and voted upon and I was taken back when I did receive it and I got a ring for it," said Adler. And Ora hopes her success will encourage other women to follow their dreams, especially if it leads them into the auctioneering. "It is something that I love and something I have wanted to get out into the area that women can be successful in the auction business," said Adler. Ora Adler is proof of that. She is living her dream - one bid at a time. Ora works with her husband in her auctioneering business. She said she plans to keep at it for at least a few more years before they think about retirement. |
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