The third annual ACB auction took place on July 8th. The room was charged with energy and excitement! The three auctioneers, Jeff Thom, Cindy Van Winkle and Paul Edwards, led the bidders through a vast array of wonderful items.
This year we added something new to the auction. We held a silent auction on the afternoon of July 7 with 27 contributing state and special-interest affiliates. Thanks to each of you for your generosity and support! Bidders drifted in and out as they attended other activities and meetings throughout the afternoon. At the close of the silent auction, we had a gathering of excited bidders to see who won what! The package bringing in the most money this year came from the Illinois Council of the Blind; it was an Abraham Lincoln package. Other affiliates were close on their heels with great offerings! We realized $1,942 for ACB and had a lot of fun in the process. Thanks to all who participated and special thanks to the fabulous volunteers who described and served as scribes for the ongoing bidding!
The entire event would not have been successful without the tremendous generosity of our many contributors, the participation of determined bidders and the dedicated volunteers who kept everything running smoothly. When the last item was sold and the numbers were tallied, there was a final wave of euphoria to realize that the auction had raised almost $25,000 again.
Thanks to every single individual who made it happen! A special thanks to the dedicated auction committee members: Sally Benjamin, William Benjamin, Marsha Farrow, Michael Fulghum, Debbie Grubb, Jeff Thom, Cindy Van Winkle, Lane Waters and Dena Wilson. It was a pleasure to work with such capable and committed individuals!