Autumn Auction 2023: Time to Tailgate - Saturday, November 4th
Mark your calendars! Our Autumn Auction will be on Saturday, November 4th at 3:00pm, beginning in the courtyard and continuing in Daniels Hall.
For now, though, your submissions of fabulous events and delightful goods are very much anticipated. More details to come. Thank you for your generosity!
The website for auction item submission is up and running. http://togetherauction.com/ocuuc
Use the website to enter your event and item donation. Our congregation loves to attend many types of events but it seems there is a real desire for a meal, particularly if you are "famous" for a certain kind of food. We love to be educated, perhaps a tour of a garden or a museum, or take us to see a sight that is off the beaten path. We love to be entertained with card games, music, live shows and other entertainments. Please always include a date for events. Rescheduling is a fact of life, but folks tend not to bid on dates to be determined. We will auction most events and some kinds of items live, but we will continue doing a silent auction online for most items. This allows for friends to participate in the auction from afar and from near if attending in person is not convenient. We also encourage using a proxy if you cannot attend due to a schedule conflict or any other reason. If you cannot arrange one, reach out to the Committee and we will assign one for you. Distribution of items won will be arranged between donor and winning bidder.
If you have enjoyed auctions in the past, we look forward to seeing you again. If you have not yet attended an auction, it is one of the most fun events we host at OCUUC. Not only that, you fill your social calendar for the Spring and Summer seasons. For most of us, the auction events we host and attend are the most enjoyable things we do. It makes life wonderful to spend time with new and old friends.
Reach out to the Auction Committee if you have any questions. We will be in the courtyard every Sunday after service and our email is auction@ocuuc.org
See you all at the event on November 4, 2023.
Details:
The auction is open to all: Members, Friends, Visitors and their friends and relatives. Here’s how it works:
1. Offer Something:
You decide what you want to offer, how many spaces you have available, a starting bid and a description of the item or event. You can donate your item directly. Simply go to http://togetherauction.com/ocuuc
Register yourself at the site providing your name and other contact information. Once done simply click on the “Donate an Item” button at the top of the page. Complete the information requested and submit. That’s all there is to it.
For instance, you might offer:
“Mom’s Homemade Apple Pie - an old family recipe handed down over several generations. It’s a classic version complete with lattice crust. Served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and you have a treat that can’t be beat!” -- 2 pies offered -starting bid $18.00.
You can offer a service, such as helping someone with a dinner party, and you can offer an event, such as a dinner or a picnic hike. You can offer an item, such as concert tickets or baked goods, home canned goods, holiday treats and more. Keep in mind that this is a fundraiser, so pick something that others will want to spend their money on. You may make as many offers as you want. If you need help thinking of something to offer, or how to plan your event, speak to us at the Auction table on the patio on Sunday, or send a message to auction@ocuuc.org.
You can start submitting items immediately. The more items we have the better we will do! You can also donate items directly using the form at: http://togetherauction.com/ocuuc
Plan Your Bidding:
Peruse the online auction items for donations and plan what you want to bid on.
When do I pay?
You can pay for your purchased auction items at the close of the auction with a credit card), or you will be billed, which must be paid before the next auction (they're held in fall and spring).
In addition to your bill, you will also be sent a list of the items you offered and who bought them.
What if I buy a seat for an event and I can’t attend?
You are financially responsible for the seat you bought as it could have been sold to someone else. You can offer your place to a friend (especially a new member or visitor who wasn’t at the auction) or you can contact the host to see if they want to invite someone else.
What if I offer an event and then can’t host it?
You can try to find another day, time or type of event that you are able to host. Remember that you promised something that someone was willing to pay for. The sooner you contact your buyers to work out another plan, the better.
Are there any other guidelines?
Things to keep in mind:
Hosting: If you host an event, choose a date. We sometimes think it’s best to ask bidders for their availability but history on this shows that people are choosing which items to bid on based on their calendars already. They are coordinating bidding on multiple events and since Saturdays in particular are popular, if an event does not have a date, they tend to worry that there will be conflicts so that item ends up with fewer bids, earning less money for our beloved church!
Use of the church: If you would like to use the church for an auction event, please remember that you must check the church calendar with Sarah Jones, Administrator and it must comply with prevailing COVID restrictions.
Families: When you are deciding what to offer, keep in mind parents like to do things with their children (such as a bounce house party in your backyard or a hike and a picnic), children like to do special things without their parents (such as making crafts for holidays or a trip to the zoo) and parents like to do things without their children (such as poker night). We try to have a good mix.
Timing: Auctions are organized approximately twice per year – spring and fall. Try to plan some things that happen months from now.
Work involved: It is really fun and a lot less work to host an event with a friend. Talk to your friends about hosting together or just brainstorm ideas for offerings.
Questions? Contact auction@ocuuc.org or stop by the Auction table in the courtyard on Sunday morning.
Statements
You can view a summary of your purchases including the prices you offered. Simply login to: http://togetherauction.com/ocuuc and check your purchases.
All of the auction items that you purchased will be listed. If you donated any items, just click on the 'donations' link to see who bought your items.
Other things to consider:
- The people who attend the auctions have a good time and enjoy good food.
- We raise money towards the Church’s operating expenses.
- Those who attend get something direct and tangible in return for a donation to the Church.
- Many of the events offered for auction are a great way to find people in the church with similar interests and are a wonderful way to share your hobbies, interests, and special places with others.
- Often the events purchased get you to places and activities that you might not ordinarily go to or engage in because you are unaware of them.
- The events offered at the auctions provide important social interactions to help build our community through building personal relationships.
- Both the buyers as well as those offering items for purchase achieve satisfaction knowing that they are helping our Church community.