An annual fundraiser for Northwest College athletics is making its grand return this weekend, as the Trapper Bonanza will take place Saturday at the Powell Golf Club with an auction for the Saturday Calcutta taking place Friday night.

“We’re kind of changing it up this year,” Northwest College Athletic Director Brian Erickson said. “Our board thought that would be a good idea. We always did it in that June timeframe, we’re changing it to the Paint the Town Red weekend.”

Erickson said this will be beneficial for the Bonanza, as the Trappers will have nearly all of their student-athletes in town this weekend to help facilitate the golf tournament and bring a new excitement to the event. That will include offering a variety of challenges on different holes.

One of these challenges will benefit golfers by allowing them to potentially move up a tee box or gain another benefit in the golf competition.

Some of those challenges include paying to attempt a challenge such as: Scoring on a basketball hoop on hole No. 1 with the Trapper basketball players, passing a volleyball into a bucket/basket on hole No. 3, scoring into a mini goal on No. 6 with the soccer teams and playing cornhole with the Trapper wrestlers on No. 7.

“I think it’s going to be a great opportunity for our student-athletes to get to know some of our community members, Trapper Booster Club members, but then I think it’s going to be awesome for those that come out to be able to meet our student-athletes,” Erickson said.

The Trapper Challenge will also make its return to hole No. 9, with it being an alternate shot hole and the winner receives $500. Erickson noted that hole typically results in a chip-off to determine a winner.

Prior to the event on Saturday, the Trappers will be hosting a Calcutta auction on Friday night, which will put teams up for bid on which one will do the best on holes 10-15.

That auction will take place during Paint the Town Red at 8 p.m. in the beer garden once the main performances by Jillian Nordberg and Kalyn Beasley end on the stage.

Prior to the auction, Erickson said that golfers participating on Saturday will receive a $16 meal ticket that they can use at any of the food trucks at 6 p.m.

Erickson said they are always looking for more sponsors for holes or providing more prizes and to contact him at brian.erickson@nwc.edu if interested.

He said he has been in charge of the event for more than a dozen years, but is hopeful that this will be one of the best Bonanzas yet.

“I think it’s going to be a totally different experience than we’ve had in the past,” Erickson said. “I think this is going to be, I hope, one of the most fun ones that we’ve had.”