Celebrity Auction

Boys & Girls Club Celebrity Auction raises money for local club activities

The 10th annual Boys & Girls Club Celebrity Auction was held to raise funds for the Boys & Girls Club programs and activities on August 15th. This year’s event, title sponsored by Forward Air and Summers Taylor, was held at Trinity United Methodist Church and featured over 600 items including local business items, sports cards and items autographed by famous celebrities, entertainers, athletes and other notables. There were hundreds of items to choose from ranging from Autographed sports items to a MECO gas grill. The other major sponsors of this year’s event included: C & C Millwright and RPC/ProCote as the dinner sponsors, the bid tables were sponsored by Greeneville Federal Bank, Randy & Carolyn Brown Capps, Takoma Regional Hospital and Vulcan Materials. Other major sponsors included Andrew Johnson Bank, Blue Springs Printing, CE Minerals, DTR Tennessee, Green Bank, Greeneville Light & Power System, Grand Rental Station, Landair Transport & Distribution, Marsh Petroleum & the Town of Greeneville. Nata Jackson, the event co-chairman stated “We sold over 500 items this year and we were pleased with the bids received during the auction despite the slow economy. The generosity of the attendees and the hard work from our volunteers and staff is the reason that our event was a success” she added.

Items ranged from photos and scripts to sports equipment, books and CDs. Also, many area restaurants, stores and other businesses donated certificates for various goods and services. The top-selling item was a Peyton Manning “Indianapolis Colts” autographed rookie jersey donated by Josh Swatzell that went for $725. A Tim Howard “Manchester United” autographed jersey donated by Bruce Arena sold for $325. A Hank Aaron autographed baseball went for $300; a Tennessee Volunteer 100 Years of Champions Basketball framed print donated by Mike and Nata Jackson went for $250; an overnight stay in the Presidential Suite donated by the Carnegie Hotel sold for $250; and a Bruce Pearl autographed UT basketball went for $240. A Lane Kiffin University of Tennessee football, a Roy Williams “North Carolina Tar Heels” autographed basketball, and a Jason Witten “UT Vols/ Dallas Cowboys” autographed football all sold for $225 each. The Willie Mays autographed baseball went for $220 and a Dale Earnhardt Jr. autographed racing helmet donated by Everette and Vanda Scott sold for $210.

Other items of great interest were: a Neon Sign donated by Ella’s Restaurant, a Dallas Cowboys football signed by Jason Witten & several other players donated by Dr. Daniel Lewis, an Innabela Table and four chairs donated by MECO, a Comfort Suites two night stay in Charlestown, SC, a Newman-Daily Resort Properties two night stay in the Blue Surf Townhouses in Destin, FL, a Bob Kesling Celebrity Golf Classic Neyland Stadium print matted and autographed by Bob Kesling, Bruce Pearl, Ray Mears, Bobby Scott, Dewey Warren, Jeff Francis and several other UT players, 2 football tickets for UT vs. Auburn donated by Randy and Carolyn Brown Capps, a Denny Hamlin autographed racing helmet donated by Everette and Vanda Scott, a two night stay at the Hotel Midtown Atlanta, a Dale Murphy autographed Atlanta Braves jacket donated by Jerry & Carolyn Ward, a Jerry Jones and Wade Phillips autographed Dallas Cowboys Pennant, 2 football tickets for UT vs. Georgia donated by the Capps, a Mystery Box of unique and autographed items, a Jeff Gordon autographed scale car donated by Everette and Vanda Scott, 2 VIP tickets to Live with Regis and Kelly in New York, a two night stay at the Fairfield Inn and Suites in Charlestown, SC, a Dule’ Hill “Psych” autographed script signed by all the cast members, a Andy Griffith Show framed Halloween print, a Steve Garvey autographed baseball bat, a Pat Summitt framed print donated by the Jacksons, a strand of pearls donated by the Jewelers Market, 4 Green Bay Packers stadium chairs donated by MECO, a Don autographed baseball, a Johnny Bench, Cesar Cedeno, & other Cincinnati Reds autographed framed 1970’s team picture donated by Joe Morris and many other items not listed.

Eddie Yokley, a club board member and event co-chair stated “We are very grateful that the Boys & Girls Club is able to get items from so many people from around the globe and the great local and regional items that compliment the auction. We could not have the event that we have without this generous support.” Scott Bullington, the executive director of the local club thanked the many volunteers that helped to make this year’s event a success including Yokley, Wayne Bettis and Scott Wills who volunteered as the evening’s auctioneers. Bullington also expressed thanks to his fantastic staff and the man volunteers that helped pull items and helped with the check out and to Michael Knapp and the Trinity United Methodist Kitchen Crew for the great food provided for the event.

Events such as the Celebrity Auction help to fund the local Boys & Girls Club activities and staffing. The school year membership at the Boys & Girls Club is $5 per child, per year and $90 for the entire summer program. The Boys & Girls Club is open to all school-age youth who reside in Greeneville and Greene County. The club has various programs for youth development including: character and leadership development, arts, sports fitness and recreation, education and career development and health and life skills. The local Boys & Girls Club has received many state and local awards for its community involvement and youth development programs over the past few years and remains a leader in youth development for our community. The Boys & Girls Club has serves many youth each year through its after-school & summer programs, school outreach projects and junior sports events.

Boys & Girls Club to host 10th annual Celebrity Auction

on Saturday August 15, 2009

Summers Taylor will present the 10th annual Boys & Girls Club Celebrity Auction on Saturday, August 15, 2009 at Trinity United Methodist Church. The annual event has grown greatly over the past nine years into the biggest annual event of this type locally each year. As usual the club will have many items for sale from sports & entertainment memorabilia to political items to local items such as food certificates, hotel stays and golf packages. The event will have an item preview and buffet dinner from at 6:00 pm to 6:45 pm with the live and silent auction of celebrity & local items starting at 6:45 pm. Tickets are on sale for $20 each and can be purchased at the Boys & Girls Club of Greeneville & Greene County located at 740 West Church Street. Call Scott Bullington at 787-9322 for more details. The Boys & Girls Club is open Monday-Friday from 8 am until 6:30 pm for the school year and 7:30 am- 5:30 pm during school breaks and for the summer.

The auction will be set up with some items going live and others as a silent auction, due to the large volume of items that will be on sale. Items range from signed scripts and photos, footballs, movie posters, basketballs, helmets, books, shirts, golf hats and many other autographed items of interest. In addition to the celebrity items the sale will include event tickets, Tennessee Vol tickets, movie posters, framed pictures & prints, gas grill, local food certificates, golf passes, oil changes and many other items will also be on sale at the auction.

TheTitle sponsor for this year’s event is Summers Taylor while C&C Millwright and RPC/ Pro Cote will be sponsoring the dinner. Takoma Regional Hospital will be sponsoring the bid tables. Table sponsorships to date have come from Andrew Johnson Bank, CE Minerals, DTR Tennessee, EcoQuest Printing, Grand Rental Station, Forward Air, GreenBank, Greeneville Federal Bank, Landair Transport, Leonard Associates, Marsh Petroleum, TI Automotive Group,

The Town of Greeneville and Vistawall/Old astle gGass Products.

How did the Boys & Girls Club get all of the items you ask? Scott Bullington, Executive Director, of the local club stated that the club mails out over 5,000 letters each year to celebrities, studios, agents, sports clubs and other notable people requesting items to benefit the club and it’s many activities. “We have received around 500 -600 items the past two years and we expect the same or more again this year” stated Bullington. It’s really nice that we have some people that have set us an item each year of the auction. The club has items from sports, politics, TV, publishing, movies and other celebrities. “It is really great for our club kids to see that these people from around the world care enough to take the time to send something for our auction to benefit the kids of our community. It really makes me appreciate them more.” Stated Nata Jackson, a Boys & Girls Club Board member and Co-Chairman of this annual event.

Events such as the auction help to fund the local Boys & Girls Club programs. School year membership at the Boys & Girls Club is just $5 per child, / per year and $90 for the regular summer program for children in Kindergarten up to 8th grade. The Boys & Girls Club of is open to all school age youth that reside in Greeneville and Greene County. The club has various programs for youth development including: Character and Leadership Development, the Arts, Sports, Fitness and Recreation, Education and Career Development and Health and Life Skills. The Boys & Girls Club has received several state and local awards for their community involvement and youth development programs for the youth of our community. The Boys & Girls Club has club members and serves many more youth each year through their school outreach projects and Jr. sports events.

Eddie Yokley, a Boys & Girls Club board member and event co-chairman, stated “We really have a lot of great items this year, especially from area businesses’ that will help make for a great selection at this years auction.”The club has many items that have been donated for this year’s event. For a complete list of items on sale at this year’s event go tot the club’s website at www.ggcbgc.org or email Bullington at gbgc@comcast.net or call the club at 787-9322.