The Crookston United Way will be holding an online auction from December 6-10. The money raised during the auction will go towards the twenty-three programs in Crookston that the United Way helps fund throughout the year.
Last year, a silent auction was held by the United Way but was thrown together quickly without much preparation. Crookston United Way Executive Director Libby Boucher ran through some of the items that the community will be able to bid on and said a lot of planning and preparation has gone into this year’s auction. “This year, we’ve had a lot of time to plan and solicit so many items from the community,” said Boucher. “NAPA gave us an awesome tool package; Travis Oliver from Crookston High School had one of his classes make some wood pieces for us. I had a woman come in yesterday and just give us stuff she didn’t need anymore. Crookston is an extremely giving community.”
Boucher also talked about how the bidding process will work and what site the United Way will be using. “This year, we’re using a site called Give Smart, and they will be the host of the auction site,” said Boucher. “That will go into preview mode on November 30 so people can see what they can bid on, and then the bidding will begin on December 6. The auction will go live from December 6-10, and basically, you’ll just sign in online and start bidding.”
There will also be a buy now option for some items so that people can purchase an item without the fear of losing it. As of the end of last week, the United Way has 55 items apart of the online auction, and Boucher said that more are still coming in.
Once the auction is completed on December 10, the winners of the items can drop by the United Way Office at Valley Technology Park and claim their prizes. “Since this is a holiday auction, I’m assuming people will want their prizes before the holidays,” said Boucher. “If you can’t stop by and pick up your item, we can do some limited drop-offs if necessary. We will be in the office Monday, Tuesday Wednesday for pick-ups, and we can also make arrangements if you need to pickup your item outside of those days.”
For those interested in donating new items towards the online auction, Boucher said she will accept items up until the week of the event. “I could get things on the site the week before the auction,” said Boucher. “Even if you don’t have items but want to donate, you could make a monetary donation. The Grand Theatre donated a rental, and another person donated snacks for that rental. So, there are lots of ways you can get involved.”
For more information or if you have any questions, you can call the Crookston United Way at 218-281-1715 or email exec@unitedwayofcrookston.org. You can also visit the Crookston United Way Facebook page, where pictures and information about the auction can be found, or visit their website HOME | United Way of Crookston.
Below are a few pictures of some of the items that will be up for bidding. One item not shown that Boucher expects to be a fan favorite is one year of Chippers from Widman’s Candy Shop in Crookston. There are also a variety of gift baskets, blankets, and other items.
