Bids & Buys: Annual auction benefits Good Samaritan Fund

By Becky Fitzgerald on August 31, 2017

Who doesn’t love a fast-paced auction? It’s still the one place you can get something for nodding! Although, of course, you do have to stay until the bidder end.

Meadowlark Foundation’s 3rd annual estate-style auction is set for Saturday, Sept. 23, and with four storage units full of furniture and more, it may take several hours to reach that “bidder end”. The event begins at 9:30 a.m. in the Utopia Room of St. Thomas More Catholic Church, 2900 Kimball Ave. Proceeds benefit the Good Samaritan Fund, which assists residents in Meadowlark Hills healthcare households who have outlived their financial resources. Once again, Manhattan auctioneer Vern Gannon is donating his services so that more auction revenue will go toward the fund.

“I just love to sell stuff,” Gannon said recently during an auction planning meeting. During that meeting, he also shared that one of his regular auction-goers is changing the departure date of his vacation so that he may attend Meadowlark’s auction. “He said your sale last year was the auction of the year, and he didn’t want to miss out this year.”

Collecting items for the 2017 auction literally began the day of the auction last September. A Meadowlark resident was the high bidder for an adjustable bed, and offered to donate the bed she had at the time. Many other cheerful givers have followed. A variety of chairs, tables, desks, dressers, lamps, artwork, glassware, beds, and more lamps await the auction block. (How do we have so many lamps?)

In addition to furniture, household items, such as decorative glassware, rugs, artwork (decorative and fine art), décor items (inside and outside), gently used small appliances, clocks, holiday items, etc., may be donated again this year, and apt. 315 in the West Tower has been reserved as a collection point. “Real” and costume jewelry generated about $2000 at the 2016 auction, and Gannon said interest in jewelry remains strong. If you have gemstone pieces or costume jewelry that you no longer wear or need, please consider supporting our worthy cause.  

Donations will be accepted from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 8, and from 1 to 3 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 14. We will not accept clothing, shoes, books or outdated electronic equipment, such as video cassette recorders and large, boxy TVs. Flat-screen models are welcome. 

If you have large or heavy donations that cannot be brought to #315, please contact Becky, Development Director, at 323-3843 to arrange a pick-up time. The Foundation appreciates your generosity.