2024 Auction: Traveling Through Time

Live Auction Party, Saturday, June 15  in the sanctuary.  

           Doors open at  5:30 p.m.   Live auction ends at 9:30 p.m. (or thereabouts!)

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

           Live Auction begins @ 7 p.m.  NOTE: Live auction bidding only in person. (If you can’t attend, arrange for someone else to bid for you.)

Online Auction active for bidding June 5 – June 14 

Admission:  $10 if paid by May 19.  $20 after May 19 and at the door. 

   The admission fee admits you to both the online and live auctions and includes refreshments at the live auction.

See Bill Pfoutz at church  or mail your check payable to UUCH, with “auction” in memo line, to the church, attention: treasurer, 13245 Cearfoss Pike, Hagerstown, MD 21740.

What happens at the live auction?

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

The auction is our largest fundraiser, but it’s also filled with fun and fellowship. So browse and bid at the online auction and then attend the live auction party for delicious hors d’ouvres, lively music, costumes, door prizes, and timely entertainment.

The 2024 auction theme is Traveling through Time, which is expressed in the costumes, music, decorations, and activities.  

Themed costumes are optional but encouraged with prizes for the best outfits. Not sure what to wear?  Start by choosing a time period you’d like to experience, if only through your costume. Or perhaps a person of the past fascinates you, maybe hinting at a previous life?  Maybe you already have an outfit from a past decade of this life in the attic or back of your closet.  Your choices are as endless as time.

The auction admission charge covers live auction 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  or mail your check payable to UUCH, to the church, attention: treasurer, 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.

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; many specialty dinners; and a family movie night.  The online 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 available with an online auction, we’ll have room for so much more.

   The 2024 auction has Parties, Dinners and So Much More.

The auction catalog isn’t done yet but it  already includes three different themed-dinner parties; specialty desserts; garden labor; Halloween stories for adults,  a watercolor painting night, dance workshop, and two musical performances; plus a poker table, local arts and crafts including handmade baskets; framed art, bar set, jewelry, commemorative pins, and animal puppets; books, books, books; and many household items.

An auction catalog will be available at church and on line by June 2  so you can see all the bounty available in the online auction (June 5 – June 14)  and the June 15  live auction––– and you can mark the ones you want.

How you can participate:

• Check out the online auction. Come to the June 15 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 at the auction.

• 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 or you can access a PDF form here.

Click here for a printable PDF of the donation form.

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

 The auction committee needs your donation forms by April 28   (and sooner if possible!) to compile the catalog and set up the auction software.

• Buy your admission  early.   ($10 by May 19.  $20 after May 19 and at the door).     Knowing how many will attend the live auction helps us set up sufficient tables and chairs and plan refreshment quantities more accurately to avoid running out or wasting food. And don’t  forget  the admission  lets you enjoy both auctions plus the refreshments on June 15.)

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: treasurer, 13245 Cearfoss Pike, Hagerstown, MD 21740.

For more information, email auction@uuhagerstownmd.org