Auction Donation Ideas Needed!

[stinkerbell]

Help!

I'm in charge of my daughter's preschool auction this year and it's a big one. Last year I was in charge of procurement...also a huge job....and we pulled in $60,000 worth of items. We netted just under $24,000. We need to make that again...and a lot of that comes from having fun things to bid on.

Do you guys have any ideas?? I have catalogs of ideas, but remember....those auction items are put together by people like me....people who have done these auctions to death (this is my fourth year being in charge of an auction, but the first time in charge of one so large). Dream up some auction packages, donations, I need a fresh perspective!

When I go to auctions I like to buy things I'll normally buy anyway.....haircuts at really nice salons, facials, pedicures, tickets and restaurant gift certificates. But there are people out there who come to auctions to find something completely different, things they wouldn't have purchased normally.

Personally, I'm putting together a Memorial Day weekend wine tasting in the Willamette Valley package. I have gotten several wineries to donate their tasting fees and a room at a hotel all booked, and I'm working on restaurant donations. I'm planning on buying the package at the auction as well!! Nobody better mess with me!! That is MY weekend dammit!!

I'm also doing a few lost-cost things....cookie baskets, coffee-lovers baskets (each Starbucks in the area is donating 2 1 lb bags of beans), a night-in basket with DVDs, popcorn and wine. Some of the feedback we got last year was that we needed more low-cost items...so I'm taking that to heart. Another bit of feedback we got was that people would like to see more kids' things.

My husband is getting a ton of manly man things from all his sub-contractors...tools, Home Depot gift cards, carpet cleaning, $200 worth of paint, landscaping, etc.

I'm going in with another family to buy a nice wine rack, and then relying on the preschool families to donate individual bottles of good wine to fill the rack. (We are a population of parents that LOVE our wine....so I'm really building on that.)

Families are always asking me what to donate...each family is responsible for donating between $500-$1000. Sometimes I'm stumped. I get all idea'ed out.

So....put together your dream auction donations and packages for me!! I'd really love to hear something new from people!

[MTNGIRL]

stink, hubby said Mt Hood has a tourist train, if you have any train folks they would like something like that.
One of my fav things when I come your way is to stay at Seaside with an Ocean View.
Hubby was also wondering whether the paddle wheel boat excursions are in your area.

There are some of my dream ideas when I get to your neck of the woods.

[MTNGIRL]

K just mentioned sailboarding or kiteboarding in the gorge, maybe lessons?

[mamabot]

Once upon a moon ago, I helped procure donations for a public radio listener drive. My biggest asset was a copy of Los Angeles magazine. I went through the magazine page by page and called companies asking for donations from the drive. I also used the database from previous donors for the drive to gain prizes for the drive.

[stinkerbell]

Originally Posted by mamabot

Once upon a moon ago, I helped procure donations for a public radio listener drive. My biggest asset was a copy of Los Angeles magazine. I went through the magazine page by page and called companies asking for donations from the drive. I also used the database from previous donors for the drive to gain prizes for the drive.

Yes! I scour Portland Monthly, plus the newspapers. Most businesses use their marketing budgets to make charitable donations...so if they can advertise, usually they can donate.

MTNGIRL, we have Mt. Hood Railroad tix already!! They're always the first to send in their donation.

We also have a family that puts together a Gorge trip....would be awesome to have sailing lessons, too...hhhmmmm.

I'm in charge of the Seaside package, since that's where I'm from. Fun times. So far, I have a restaurant cert. and mini-golf. Still waiting for word on a hotel.

We have a Lincoln city hotel/entertainment/restaurant package done....just waiting on an outlet mall cert.

What about personalized services or basket packages that families can put together?? We've got pet-sitting, yardwork, painting, dinners, desserts of the month.....and I seriously am getting stumped.

[MickeysGirl]

Beanie Babies ~ lots of collectors there, so it could work several ways, either attract those who collect or those with kiddos who want them. Our school does an auction along with the raffle each year and it always has been very successful. Usually we try to get the local bowling alleys and skating rinks to donate a package such as a party of 10 for the night. Local restaurants donate dinners for 2 to 4 people. The more calls we make the more results we get. Disneyland even kicks in with a few pairs of passes for us each year.

[mamabot]

What about dinner swapping? I heard it is all the rage. You could have a few families on the same block swap cooking meals for each other. At the very least, you could have a couple of mom's volunteer to cook a lasagna (or a roast or a chicken or chicken enchiladas). It could even turn into a week of dinners that would easily go from freezer to oven to table without much of a hassle.

Also, since you have a brand new Sephora, maybe you could work that klassic Klaire charm and weasel out a gift certificate, deluxe sample package, or maybe even something like the Grand Cal does with their pre-opening make-overs. Take your love of Sephora and run with it!

[Churro]

Gardening basket, Beach/summer basket, Karate lessons for kids?, pet stuff, a day at the spa. I would bid on any of those.

[PirateMickey]

Maybe these ideas are old news but I'm trying to help...

1. "Husband for hire" type thing. No, not that...A guy for a day (or afternoon, etc) to repair things around the house, yardwork, honey-do's, that sort of thing.

2. Lunch or dinner with a VIP. Get a local doctor, attorney, sports player, heck, even a politician like a mayor or something to have lunch or dinner with.

3. On those same lines, lunch or dinner with a bachelor/bachelorette. Go find some hunky guy or hottie to volunteer their time for a meal that can be auctioned off.

4. Find someone to donate their timeshare, or a portion of it. A lot of those go to waste each year.

5. Find someone with a boat that would like to donate a day out on the water (with the owner there to drive it of course). Great idea for someone that doesn't have a boat.

I hope some of this helps.

Good luck!

[mamabot]

As for hte kids:

Tea Party. Why not have one of the parents volunteer to host a tea party for a child and a few friends. Have said parent bring dress up clothes so that it is like a big girl dress up party. (This idea sounds much better in my head. The alcohol is clouding the ideas from coming all the wat forward.)

Cooking class for kids. Have a parent brave the kids in the kitchen for a lesson in how to cook. It could be as simple as making sandwiches and drop cookies. could include an art project for decorating their aprons before the class.

[Churro]

How about attraction passes? Enchanted Forest, Wildlife Safari, the Zoo, or any of the places we go in downtown Newport. River rafting tickets, or Jet boat rides are always popular too. Call Sunriver or Mt Bachelor and see if they will kick in anything. Crooked River Dinner Train is awesome! I don't know...I am running out of ideas.

[mamabot]

What about a parent volunteering to be a Color Me Mine (aka a pottery decorating place). The parent could have a few different designs to choose from, and I am sure that the paints shouldn't be too much from Michaels.

[MiceMan]

They have an auction at one of the schools up here and they always have a highly popular ski package (skis/boots/poles) Also, call Sunriver Resort ... they are part of the same management company that I work for and I know that each hotel has a yearly requirement to fill for donations so that may be a good avenue!

[bejeweledcat]

Bears mom does a charity Bingo every year. We've done movie baskets; build it around an actor or a theme. Family - Disney movie(s), popcorn (microwave, jiffy pop or a popcorn maker with actual popcorn), candy, soda, movie rentals in a big popcorn bowl. Chick flicks, Dude movies, comedies, horror - the combos are endless. One of our baskets had movies the hostess had been in with a DVD player. Cooking baskets with cookbooks, nice utensils, salt & pepper shakers, marinades, gadgets - again it can be themed like Italian, BarBQ... Tea baskets, craft or hobby baskets, picnic baskets - I could go on all night!

[Grumpy4]

PirateMickey gave me an idea...it's basketball season, how about some Trailblazer tickets?