Rotary Auction starts Monday

The auction is also being broadcast on a different channel than in years’ past. The auction is held at Watson Hall at the Episcopal Church on Main Street and the public is welcome to attend.
The auction is the major annual fundraiser for the Houlton Rotary Club. A supplement detailing the auction items for each half hour, special items, phone numbers and store room hours appears in this week’s Houlton Pioneer Times.  The information is also available on the Internet at www.houltonrotary.org.  There will be links from the web site to view the auction live on the Internet.  Details will be provided on the site.
Each year, the Rotary Auction in addition to their many other charities funds a major project or projects.  The major projects for the 2009 auction are the “Field of Dreams” project building new Little League fields for the area’s youth and purchasing equipment for the Southern Aroostook Minor Hockey Association (SAMHA).  Other projects that will benefit from auction proceeds are the Dollars For Scholars, Rotary Youth Exchange, Student Recognition Day, Cary Library, and the Salvation Army.
The auction will feature a list of items for bid on each half hour (6:00-10:30 – 9 half hours per night).  Items on the half hours generally range up to $100.  Bidding on these items is only accepted during their individual half hours with the high bidder being awarded the item at the close of the half hour’s bidding.  Corporate sponsors for each night of this year’s auction are Crawford Homes, First Wind and Madigan Home Health Care.
Nightly special items generally ranging between $100 and $250 are also featured.  These items may be bid on throughout a given night.  Successful bidders at the close of each night will be awarded these items.  The nightly special items include a hot air balloon ride, a trimmer, hardwood pellets, an official Major League baseball autographed by J.D. Drew, an iPod iTouch, a handmade wooden locomotive and caboose, advertising packages, firewood, a lap quilt, framed authentic autographed pictures of Boston Bruins players Dennis Wideman and Marco Strum, a coffee table, a sawzall, a guitar, a coffee brewer, gift certificates and a variety of other items.
There are also 3-night special items, which will be featured throughout the auction and this year range up to $13,990.  The 3-night specials this year include a 20’X32’ camp package from Ward Log Homes, a Snapper snow blower, a 46” Sony Bravia LCD TV with full HD, hardwood flooring, area rugs, a John Deere lawn mower, 20 sections of 8 foot rail fence, matching men’s and ladies watches, a wall mirror, a Makita table saw, a mountain scene painting, half a pig and 100 gallons of fuel oil.  Bidding is accepted on these items all three nights.  The successful bidders at the close of bidding on Wednesday evening will be awarded these items.
The retail value of the items donated by area businesses and individuals is nearly $53,000 and add-on items are still coming in.  Add-on items can be contributed by contacting a Rotarian.  For this year’s auction, the retail values for all items as listed in the auction supplement have been rounded to the nearest whole dollar.
Bids can be made for any items by calling the Rotary Auction room at 521-0035.  Those outside the local area but in state may call toll free at 1-877-301-0035.  The Rotary Club is asking bidders to make minimum bids of at least 50% of the listed value for the items.  Some items may carry a higher minimum, which will be indicated in the supplement.  Bids will be taken in whole dollar increments to assist programming and tracking of bids.
Individuals calling in give the Rotarian on the phone the item number they are bidding on and the amount of their bid along with their name and phone number.  The bids are then posted on a board.  They are subsequently taken to the on-air auctioneers who will read the bids and indicate if they are high, low or even.  The auction room is located in Watson Hall and the public is welcome to visit.   Bids can be placed from the auction room until 3 minutes before the close of each half hour.  No bids are accepted from the auction room after the 3-minute bell has been rung.
Successful bidders can pick up their items at the auction storeroom sponsored this year by the Houlton Water Company, which is also located at Watson Hall in the Episcopal Church on Main Street.  The storeroom is open daily during the auction from 9:00am to 10:00pm and is open the three days following the auction.  Specific hours are listed in the auction supplement.  All items should be picked up by the close of the storeroom on Saturday, November 28th at 1:00pm.  The storeroom phone number is 521-0127.
Members of the local Rotary club run all aspects of the auction including serving as on-air auctioneers.  The Rotarian auctioneer schedule is as follows: Monday, 6:00, John Tribou and Scott White; 6:30, Tammie Mulvey and Joyce Fitzpatrick; 7:00, Tom Moakler and Andy Mooers; 7:30, John Tribou and a guest auctioneer; 8:00, Matt Nightingale and Marguerite Lawler; 8:30, Jim Brown and Chris Anderson; 9:00, Jon McLaughlin and Dana Delano; 9:30, Fred Grant and Doug Hazlett; 10:00, Leigh Cummings and Steve Nelson; Tuesday, 6:00, Tammie Mulvey and Lori Weston; 6:30, Leigh Cummings and Vicki Smith; 7:00, John Tribou and a guest auctioneer; 7:30, Tom Moakler and Andy Mooers; 8:00, Matt Nightingale and Marguerite Lawler; 8:30, Jon McLaughlin and Dana Delano; 9:00, Ryan Bushey and Steve Nelson; 9:30, Torrey Sylvester and Forrest Barnes; 10:00, Tony Bowers and Scott White; Wednesday, 6:00, Ryan Bushey and Steve Nelson; 6:30, Tammie Mulvey and Lori Weston; 7:00, Dana Delano and a guest auctioneer; 7:30, Andy Mooers and guest auctioneer Joe Fagnant; 8:00, Matt Nightingale and Tammie Mulvey; 8:30, Jon McLaughlin  and Leigh Cummings; 9:00, Jim Brown and Frank Thompson; 9:30, Fred Grant and Torrey Sylvester; 10:00, Scott White and John Tribou.
Also part of the annual auction is the Boy and the Boot Endowment Program. Individuals may call in during the auction to pledge a Boy and the Boot statue.  The pledge represents a $1,000 contribution to the endowment fund of the Houlton Regional Health Services Foundation, which benefits local healthcare.  Some businesses also offer payroll deduction programs for the pledges.  At the completion of the pledge, the contributor receives a limited edition pewter replica of the Boy with the Leaking Boot Statue.
Another giving opportunity is being offered again this year.  Individuals will be able to call in during the auction to sponsor an auditorium seat to help provide new seating for the Houlton Community Arts Center project.  One seat can be sponsored for a $300 pledge.  Two seats can \be sponsored by a $550 pledge ($275 each).  Three seats or more can be pledged at $250 each. Name plaques on the seats and a recognition plaque will recognize all sponsors in the facility.
In addition, $500 worth of #2 fuel oil donated by Dead River Company will be given away during the auction.  Tickets for the fuel oil are available from any Rotarian and will be available at the auction.  Books of tickets can also be purchased on-line through the Houlton Rotary web site.  Tickets are $1.00 each or books of 6 for $5.00.  On-line sales are limited to the $5.00 books of tickets.  The fuel oil will be delivered anywhere within the Houlton-Patten Dead River district.  The drawing will be held during the final night of the auction
The Houlton Rotary Club extends its thanks to all of the generous businesses and individuals who contributed items to this year’s auction and encourage the public to call in and enjoy the auction by bidding on the many items available.
Further information on the Rotary Radio and TV Auction is available by contacting auction chair Scott White, club president John Tribou or any member of the Houlton Rotary Club.