provided to The Santiva Chronicle
The Kiwanis Online Auction is open for business, and the bidding action has been going strong. If you are one of the few who have not checked out the auction yet, now is the time before it closes at 6:00 on Sunday, March 27. And you can do it from your sofa by logging on to the auction site.
When you arrive at the auction you’ll find more than 50 items to peruse, so something there is sure to pique your interest. Items range from the expected to the rare and unusual. Many offer experiences you can’t get anywhere else, so it is definitely worth a look.
Experience a true “Great Gatsby” Experience, with a private cruise for six to Useppa including lunch at historic Collier Inn, top left; enjoy Captiva Cruises Dolphin & Wildlife Tour for four, followed by dinner at Doc Ford’s, bottom left; or see breathtaking views of the islands from a private aircraft. Photos provided
Items include resort stays, restaurant packages, private parties & dinners, artwork, fishing trips, boat cruises, sporting goods & equipment, wines, and golf outings….lots of golf outings. Not so expected are some unique, one-of-a-kind items and experiences. Where else will you find a tour of a world-class corkscrew collection, an educational tour of the Lee County Sheriff’s Gun Range (complete with safety instruction and firearms practice), or a birds eye view of the Islands from a private plane?
Just looking over the offerings is fun to do, and you may get some ideas for how to entertain those guests who keep showing up. Once you find an item you like, the bidding competition is also fun (and easy to do online).
The Online Auction was first created last year as a replacement for the Kiwanis Spaghetti Dinner, which has been on hiatus due to COVID. While everyone misses the fun and camaraderie of the live dinner gathering, the Auction has used technology to keep alive that community spirit. And it has given the Kiwanis Club a new tool to maintain their important fundraising which supports scholarships for Island youth and other grants to recreation and education programs.
Kiwanis President Joel Goodman reinforced this, saying: “Through the COVID period we have worked hard to keep the Kiwanis Scholarship Program going strong, and being able to offer the Auction online has been a big help.”
The Online Auction enjoys the support of many Island businesses & organizations. This year’s major sponsors are: Platinum Level — Cielo; Gold Level—Bank Of The Islands and San Cap Community Bank; Silver Level – Bailey’s General Store, Barefoot Charley’s Painting Co., Billy’s Rentals, Uhler & Vertich, ‘Tween Waters Island Resort & Spa, Island Sun, Sundial Beach Resort & Spa, Myra Roberts, The UPS Store; Bronze Level – Congress Jewelers, Carefree Birding, Doc Ford’s, and Chauncey Goss. Kiwanis thanks these sponsors and the many businesses and private individuals who have donated items for the auction.
Leave a Comment