2023 Auction: Endless Summer

Saturday, June 3 in the sanctuary.  

5:30 p.m. (doors open)  –  9:30 p.m. (or thereabouts!)

Hors d’oeuvres buffet open from 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

    The June 3rd Live Auction begins @ 7 p.m.

Silent Auction will happen earlier and entirely online this year  (Check back May 7 for details)

Access to online silent auction  bidding and admission to live auction:

      $10 if paid by May 7.  $20 after May 7 and at the door.

An evening of fun, food, fellowship, and fundraising.

 The auction is our largest fundraiser and supports our operating expenses, but we enjoy ourselves

too. So come ready for summer foods, summer music, and some summer-style games and prizes.

What happens at the auction?

Fundraising and Fun.  Every auction has a theme, which is reflected in the food, music, decorations, and activities.  Our  2023 theme is Endless Summer (even if June 3 is still spring).

Theme costumes are optional but encouraged, with prizes for the best outfits.   Not sure what to wear? How about dressing for something you enjoy about summer: beaches, baseball, biking; camping, croquet, canoes; fishing, frisbees, fireflies; grilling, golf, gardening; hiking, hammocks, hummingbirds; picnics, pickleball, patio parties; travel, tennis, toasting marshmallows….

The live auction evening also includes door prizes and lots of surprises.

The auction admission charge covers refreshments: upscale hors d’oeuvres during the first hour, snacks during the live auction, and desserts at the auction close. Seating is limited so purchase your seat early and save money too!

See Bill Pfoutz at church for early reservations or mail your check payable to UUCH, to the church, attention: Bill Pfoutz, 13245 Cearfoss Pike, Hagerstown, MD 21740.

The main entertainment is the competitive bidding in the live auction—with humorous ad libs by our skilled auctioneer Ron Rose— and the quieter pleasures of finding treasures in the online silent auction. Both auctions will overflow with items for gift-giving (or for yourself!) and events to fill your calendar with fun.

So much to bid on:    Previous live auctions featured appealing items and events, such as gift baskets for cooks, wine lovers, healthy living, and doggie friends; a picnic in the park; a guided Civil War history tour; a nature walk at UUCH; handmade jewelry; professional music performances; a storytelling workshop; a Christmas party; handyperson services; a mystery party; fiber craft lessons; homemade desserts; a handmade basket; many specialty dinners; and a family movie night.

The silent auction typically has smaller items, with something for every interest and budget: games and toys; kitchen gadgets, tools, houseplants, and small gift baskets. But with the increased capacity in an online silent auction, we’ll have room for so much more.

An auction catalog will be available at church and on line by May 21 so you can see all the bounty available in the earlier silent and the June 3 live auction––– and mark the ones you want.

How you can participate:

• Check out the online auction. Come to the June 3 auction party.  And bid generously and often. The auction profits help support  the current year’s operating expenses and keep the activities and programs you enjoy available.       Personal checks, credit cards, PayPal, and cash are all accepted.

• Donate events, services or items. Everything in the auction is donated by UUCH members and friends. Donation forms are available in the back of the sanctuary and here.

Click here for a printable PDF of the donation form.

   The auction committee needs your donation forms by May 7 earlier (and sooner if possible!) to compile the catalog and set up the auction software.

If you don’t know what to offer, the back of the donation form has many suggestions. (Events, services, and hand-made items are always popular.)

• Buy your admission  early.   ($10 by May 7.  $20 after May 7 and at the door.)

Knowing how many will attend helps us set up sufficient tables and chairs and plan refreshment quantities more accurately to avoid running out or wasting food.

Buy your tickets at church from Bill Pfoutz or mail your check  (payable to UUCH with auction in memo line) to the Unitarian Universalist Church of Hagerstown, att: auction, 13245 Cearfoss Pike, Hagerstown, MD 21740.

For more information, email auction@uuhagerstownmd.org