HOULTON, Maine — If you’re hoping for something extra special under the tree this year, ask Santa to shop at the Houlton Rotary Club’s 52nd annual Radio and TV auction.
The 3-day fund-raiser starts Monday and auction chairman Fred Grant said there are plenty of items for bidders to choose from.
“We have $50,000 worth of items this year,” Grant said in an interview last week.
Items on the auction block this year include the oh-so-popular Wii, an iPod Nano, gift certificates to area eateries and hand-made pieces — just to name a few.
Major beneficiaries of the auction include the Community Park playground and Houlton Elementary School’s playground. Other projects benefiting from auction funds are Houlton Little League, Houlton Community Arts Center, Make-A-Wish Foundation and many others.
“The community has gone above and beyond in supporting Rotary by donating time and money toward the auction,” added Grant. “It’s a great way for folks to also get a jump on holiday shopping at auction prices. Not only do they get quality items, they get a great price and it all goes for a wonderful cause.”
The Houlton club has also decided to dedicate this year’s auction to the memory of two former Rotarians: Otis Putnam and J. Thomas Fitzpatrick. Putnam, who died in October, was president of the Houlton club in 1955 when it held its first auction. Fitzpatrick, who died in September, was also a long-time Rotarian who enjoyed being part of auction activities.
Grant said the auction format will have a few changes this year. Extra phone lines are being added and, on the last day, bidders will have an extra 15 minutes for the bigger auction items, known as three-night specials.
Also this year, bids will be set at $1 increments.
“There are so many items in each half-hour,” said Grant. “This change should help streamline the bidding process.”
The club is also working to put the bid status of items on their Web site.
“We’re hoping to make it possible for people to go on line and actually see the bids as they come in,” he said. “This should make things more timely and people should be able to see updates as they happen.”
The auction, set up at the Church of the Good Shepherd’s Watson Hall, will be broadcast each night on WHOU Magik 100 and Houlton cable channel 10. Bidders can call 521-0801 or (866) 441-8253.
Items will be auctioned from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. (eight half-hours each night); the auction booklet lists items for bid for each half-hour. Bidding for these items is only accepted during the individual half hours; high bidders are announced at the end of the half hour.
Nightly specials, items that range from $100 to $300 in value, can be bid on throughout the particular night with successful bidders declared at the close of that night’s auction. This year’s nightly specials include: 50 gallons of heating oil, a handmade quilt rack, advertising packages, motorcycle lessons and more.
Also featured are 3-night specials; value for these items reach up to $11,300 this year. This year’s 3-night specials include a Ward Log Homes cabin package, a child’s ATV, a 46-inch HDTV, a state-of-the art GPS system and more.
Successful bidders, announced on-air, can pick up their items at the auction storeroom in Watson Hall. The storeroom is open during the auction from 9 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., as well as, three days following the auction. (See the booklet for specific times.) Items must be picked up by Saturday, Nov. 24 at 5 p.m. The storeroom can be reached at 521-0809.
For more information look for a copy of the auction booklet in this week’s Houlton Pioneer Times.
The 3-day fund-raiser starts Monday and auction chairman Fred Grant said there are plenty of items for bidders to choose from.
“We have $50,000 worth of items this year,” Grant said in an interview last week.
Items on the auction block this year include the oh-so-popular Wii, an iPod Nano, gift certificates to area eateries and hand-made pieces — just to name a few.
Major beneficiaries of the auction include the Community Park playground and Houlton Elementary School’s playground. Other projects benefiting from auction funds are Houlton Little League, Houlton Community Arts Center, Make-A-Wish Foundation and many others.
“The community has gone above and beyond in supporting Rotary by donating time and money toward the auction,” added Grant. “It’s a great way for folks to also get a jump on holiday shopping at auction prices. Not only do they get quality items, they get a great price and it all goes for a wonderful cause.”
The Houlton club has also decided to dedicate this year’s auction to the memory of two former Rotarians: Otis Putnam and J. Thomas Fitzpatrick. Putnam, who died in October, was president of the Houlton club in 1955 when it held its first auction. Fitzpatrick, who died in September, was also a long-time Rotarian who enjoyed being part of auction activities.
Grant said the auction format will have a few changes this year. Extra phone lines are being added and, on the last day, bidders will have an extra 15 minutes for the bigger auction items, known as three-night specials.
Also this year, bids will be set at $1 increments.
“There are so many items in each half-hour,” said Grant. “This change should help streamline the bidding process.”
The club is also working to put the bid status of items on their Web site.
“We’re hoping to make it possible for people to go on line and actually see the bids as they come in,” he said. “This should make things more timely and people should be able to see updates as they happen.”
The auction, set up at the Church of the Good Shepherd’s Watson Hall, will be broadcast each night on WHOU Magik 100 and Houlton cable channel 10. Bidders can call 521-0801 or (866) 441-8253.
Items will be auctioned from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. (eight half-hours each night); the auction booklet lists items for bid for each half-hour. Bidding for these items is only accepted during the individual half hours; high bidders are announced at the end of the half hour.
Nightly specials, items that range from $100 to $300 in value, can be bid on throughout the particular night with successful bidders declared at the close of that night’s auction. This year’s nightly specials include: 50 gallons of heating oil, a handmade quilt rack, advertising packages, motorcycle lessons and more.
Also featured are 3-night specials; value for these items reach up to $11,300 this year. This year’s 3-night specials include a Ward Log Homes cabin package, a child’s ATV, a 46-inch HDTV, a state-of-the art GPS system and more.
Successful bidders, announced on-air, can pick up their items at the auction storeroom in Watson Hall. The storeroom is open during the auction from 9 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., as well as, three days following the auction. (See the booklet for specific times.) Items must be picked up by Saturday, Nov. 24 at 5 p.m. The storeroom can be reached at 521-0809.
For more information look for a copy of the auction booklet in this week’s Houlton Pioneer Times.
