Ideas For CF Gala Auction

[BigBee]

I am privileged to be a committe member for our state's annual gala "Steppin' Out" CF Fundraiser. We are working to think outside the box for ideas for live auction items (generally bigger ticket/more unique than the silent auction items).

So, I'm throwing it out to the forum....Share your great ideas! What have seen or heard of? Help us come up with some great packages for people to bid on!

Any leads on companies to contact for donations for our auction that are supportive of CF?


Thanks!

 

[EnergyGal]

I would call airlines and cruise lines. I hope you get some amazing things. A few artist might want to donate. Go to some Galleries in your area. Restaurants are good. anything that brings in large crowds would be a great start. That is so nice and I wish you well

 

[Emily65Roses]

You can try lots of autographed stuff. My mom did a CF Halloween party when I was in 6th grade. She wrote to frickin EVERYBODY (authors, singers, actors, politicians, anyone) and asked for autographs. Clearly not everyone wrote back, but you'd be surprised. We got easily several dozen (I'd be willing to say above 50) signed things back to auction off, from all sorts of people.

Course... I don't know if that's unusual?

 

[coltsfan715]

This isn't exactly an auction auction item, but at the local CF Chapter they do several Bid for a Cure events throughout the year. They have Wine events and CF Single Gala Events and so on, and they have someone with a connection to CF, either with CF or who have had children/sister/brother/spouse/other that passed away with CF (or anyone with a moving story basically), speak. It is great the person speaks about their experience and how CF has affected them and then how they feel about having the CF Foundation to support them and have people donate time and funds and so on. At the end of the speech an auctioneer gets up and asks who is willing to bid for a cure for the speaker (if they have CF) or for the person that is affected (if they are still living) and if they are not still alive for those living with CF. I did this last year and it was truly moving. I spoke at a wine event, there were numerous silent auction items - mainly pieces of art, I spoke at the end after the silent auction had ended, and at the end of my speech the auctioneer asked for bids starting at $500 - for everyone that was willing to bid for a cure for me $500 to raise their hand - then $250 and $200 and so on down the line. People also had the chance to bid alternative amounts if they chose.

It is a great alternative to a regular auction and it is an extremely moving experience for those that participate. I know it brought me to tears when I did it as well as being very successful. In the events I have been to and witnessed the Bid, since then, it has been very successful and just as moving for the speaker.

Just an idea I know probably not exactly what you were looking for, but still a great way to get the word out to the people attending and may not know exactly what CF is about.

Lindsey

 

[BigBee]

Great ideas! Thank you! Emily, I think a basket of autographed items is extremely unique and a great idea!

Risa, I'll start calling the cruise lines today. We have found airlines to be really cutting back on their donations, which is too bad. Most times, they are only giving away seats that would be otherwise empty due to the restrictions on the free ticket vouchers.

I know our local chapter does Bid For A Cure as well. I've never attended that event, but after reading your post, Lindsey, I will definitely get to the next one!

Anyone else??

 

[jenhum]

You have to have a puppy! I have attended our local chapter event for many years, and the puppies always go for the most. The first year they had a puppy, a couple of my parents friends bid together and bought the puppy for $2400- and then gave it to me! But then last year the puppy went for $6000....can you believe it? They always either get a yellow lab puppy or a golden retriever puppy. When you have someone walking around letting all the rich drunk people pet the puppy, they suddenly have to have it <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif" border="0">.

 

[coltsfan715]

You could also check around at local jewelers and see if any of them would be willing to donate a piece to auction off. Most of the events here in town do silent auctions or raffles ... no real live auctions, but I know they normally have a big piece (jewelry wise) and they raffle it off and it normally brings in pretty big money. Maybe it would do the same in an auction.

Do you have a local pro team for any sport? If so you could see if they would be willing to provide a day with a player or something. I know I woud give my left arm to spend a day with Peyton Manning, if you give people the opportunity to spend time with an "idol" and load them up with alcohol before the possibilities are limitless (kidding ... but seriously).

Golf packages .... I know here (Jacksonville, FL) We have TPC Sawgrass right around the corner so they normally try to get some type of greens fee package for people to bid on. If there is a nice golf club around your area.

Tickets to sporting events, golf equipment, autographed items (like Emily said), artwork (as Risa mentioned), I know one year they had a surf/beach package in one of the silent auctions here (a surf place had donated boogey board w/leash, skim board towels volleyball type stuff and a bunch of stuff to do at or take with you to the beach. You could find something unique to your town and auction something off for that (meaning if you are landlocked you couldn't exactly auction off a beach package - but maybe something else). Maybe if you are in a mountain area check around for weekend cabin rental places and see if anyone would donate a weekend at a mountain cabin. Amusement parks if you contact them they may be able to get you a pair of tickets for free or at a discounted rate.


Lindsey

 

[anonymous]

that is cool that it brought in so much money, but a puppy isn't a impulse purchase...

 

[EnergyGal]

Golf packages are big here in Florida. It is all in who you know and who your friends know. Ask them who they asked for donations in the past and go from there. It is a lot of work and I commend you for making the effort. If you need little gifts, there are always gift baskets. You can go to a specialty shop where they have dolls, bears etc... Perhaps a day at the spa would be of interest.

 

[Debi]

Here are some more ideas from auctions I have attended:

Someone (with a large home) offers to host a dinner for 8 or more people with one of the cities' well-know chefs doing the cooking. These typically bring in anywhere from $2,000 to $5,000. Once saw someone bid $35,000 for one of these dinners that included a celebrity in attendance.

People donate the use of their cabin for a week or weekend. Generally brings in $1000 - $3000. Have also seen people donate their timeshare week(s).

Use of skyboxes for certain sporting events for 10-20 people. Thousands.

 

[Momtana]

There was a CF fundraiser for families in our town (Bozeman MT) in May. A five year old boy with CF brought a dozen eggs (I'm guessing laid by his family's chickens) that brought in over $1000 in the live auction! There was a lot of fine artwork, jewelry, resort stays, special services from friends of Cody, and a horse ..... one of the fun raffles was buying a baseball hat (with a cure CF logo). They sold something like 34 numbered hats for $45 and then drew a number to win a custom pair of cowboy boots (value >$1000). My husband got the hat, I'll try for the boots again next year. All of the money will be used to support medical care and travel for local families. See www.breathinisbelievin.org for information about the Cody Dieruf Foundation.

 

[sue35]

My parents bid on house in Bozeman Montana about 10 years ago. We went there for about two or three summers. Big highlight of the auction