Museum and Arts Center staff estimate that the March 21 MAC Night Dinner Auction raised $25,000 to $28,000 at SunLand Golf and Country Club. The total isn't confirmed yet, but Layton Carr, board of trustees member for the museum, said attendance and proceeds had grown up to

2008 when they began to decline. Carr spoke with local auctioneers and agencies and they told him that the whole donation business is depressed.

"I don't want to be too pessimistic but we're down about 20 percent," Carr said.

All funds raised from MAC Night go into the Museum and Arts Center's plans for improvement of exhibit displays and into general operating costs.

The dinner had 155 people attend with more than 150 items auctioned off.

The Museum and Arts Center is located at 175 W. Cedar St., Sequim.