Sunrise Rotary, Moses Lake chamber team up for auction
Sunrise Rotary, Moses Lake chamber team up for auction
MOSES LAKE — Next week two Columbia Basin organizations team up for their annual fund-raiser.
The Moses Lake Chamber of Commerce and Sunrise Rotary offer their auction March 24 beginning at 5:30 p.m. at the Moses Lake Golf Club. A silent auction begins the event, and a live auction begins at 8 p.m. Tickets are $35.
"We both have the manpower to specialize in the separation of chores for the event," Sunrise Rotary President Rick Kehl said. The chamber administrates and puts on the auction, he explained, while the rotary does most of the solicitations and ticket sales.
The chamber uses its portion of the funds raised during the auction for technology upgrades and building improvements, chamber Executive Director Bev Shuford said.
Kehl said the rotary uses the funds to support its projects nationally and internationally and locally, including a literacy project to provide area students with atlases and a textbook program in Guatemala.
"Basically we try to encourage numerous and diverse local projects benefiting every member of our community," he said.
Shuford said the joint-effort event includes such items up for bid as an art, wine and heritage getaway package, an eye examination and $200 gift certificate for merchandise, a 36-inch Victorian doll and two tickets to a Broadway production in Spokane in 2008. Items come from business community members and individuals.
"We try to encourage people to go to have fun," Kehl said. "We just have a lot of fun at it. It can be a great experience even if you aren't actively participating in purchasing auction items."
Changes to the event include elimination of the balloon pop, with Shuford promising a "surprise-type" raffle she assured people would want to participate in.
"It gives an opportunity for the two groups to meet and have a fun evening, and raise money for significant community projects," she said. "We always get such wonderful items from our members and the community. It's fun to watch the haggling back and forth."