Hi All,
A life as a professional benefit auctioneer can be a roller coaster ride but a fun one. My job every day is to help worthy organizations plan a wonderful auction event for their supporters, increase exposure about their cause, and help them raise much-needed funds (especially these days)!
The challenge is two-fold. First, we have to find the organizations that need our help and convince them that a professional benefit auctioneer will make a difference in the success of the event (a very true but not always understood fact). This month has been a good one so far on that front as we have booked a wonderful auction event for the world renowed Kronk Gym.
The Kronk Gym is internationally known for turning out champion boxers. Its founder, Emanuel Steward, has become a legend of the ring. But fewer people know all the good work Kronk does for the youth of Metro Detroit, helping to instill in them a sense of pride and respect for their community.
To celebrate its storied history and to raise money so it can help even more kids, The Kronk Gym Foundation is holding its first annual fundraiser on Wednesday, March 25, 2009, at the Townsend Hotel, in Birmingham, MI. I am pleased to report that I have been selected to be the professional auctioneer for this event! The fund-raiser will be a fun-filled event, with plenty of celebrities, dinner, good wine and a live and silent auction.
Special awards will be given to people who have shown the caring side of the boxing and sporting worlds. Among the recipients will be Sugar Ray Leonard, Detroit’s own Thomas Hearns, Roger Penske, Don Barden, Dr. Stuart Kirschenbam, long-time Kronk supporter Sam Lafata, among others.
The live auction will feature items sure to turn the head of boxing fans: a one-of-a-kind boxing robe, autographed by boxing legends, and several pairs of autographed boxing gloves signed by Oscar De La Hoya, among other champions.
The VIP Reception will begin at 5:30 p.m. The general reception and silent auction will start at 6 p.m. Go to www.KronkGymFoundation.org for more information about this event!
The second challenge as a professional auctioneer is being successful at the benefit auctions that you already have on your calendar. I will end the week on that note in Durham, NC with two of my valued clients–the Ronald McDonald House of Durham and the Triangle Day School. Both organizations host amazing events with caring donors. I suspect we will have record breaking events..but the pressure is on! I’ll provide an update on Monday.
A reminder for nonprofit organizations and schools in SC–we are hosting two upcoming workshops on planning a successful benefit auction. The workshops will be 2/24/09 at Trident Academy in Mount Pleasant, SC and on 3/19/09 at Wofford College in Spartanburg, SC. I hope to see you there. Please visit our website at www.HolidayBenefits.com and follow the links to register.
–Matt Holiday, Auctioneer
Tags: Auction, Auctioneer, Benefit Auctions, boxing, Fundraising, Kronk Gym
