Boys & Girls Club Celebrity Auction nets $25,000

 

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Sun Photo by Amy Overbay- The Greeneville Sun

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As shown here, a large crowd gathered Saturday evening to make bids on silent-auction items during the fourth annual Boys & Girls Club of Greeneville & Greene County Celebrity Auction. The event, held at Trinity United Methodist Church, raised approximately $25,000 for the club.

     The fourth annual Boys & Girls Club Celebrity Club Auction, held Saturday night at Trinity United Methodist Church, netted just over $25,000 profit for youth programs at the local club. The amount gained through this year’s auction is the highest in the annual event’s history, according to Scott Bullington, executive director of the club. Bullington said sales at the auction actually brought in more than $30,000, but just over $5,000 was spent on expenses for the event, leaving revenue for the club of more than $25,000. Dr. Michael Menz, vice president of the club’s board, said the auction was a “huge success.” “We look forward to having another big auction next August,” Menz said, “with even more unique items than this year.” “Scott does a great job of rounding up these items for our auction each year” he added.

      More than 200 people gathered for the buffet dinner and auction where nearly 400 items were sold during both a live auction and a silent auction. Items included television and movie scripts, photographs, footballs, posters, helmets, jerseys, books, shirts and golf hats, many of which were autographed by famous athletes, actors, musicians, and politicians. Also featured were gift certificates for food, oil changes, shopping sprees, and other items from local businesses.  The top selling item was an autographed basketball from University of Tennessee Lady Vols basketball coach Pat Summit, in honor of  her 800 wins and six national titles. It sold for $380. A picture signed by father and son football players Archie and Peyton Manning went for $300. A pen that belonged to President Lyndon B. Johnson went for $275, a framed print signed by Gov. Phil Bredesen went for $200. Also, items from Ray Mears, Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, Joe Torre, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. each went for more $100 each.  Other items of great interest to bidders included: a football helmet and football jersey, both from Tusculum College; a DVD player; a Coca-Cola clock; U.S. and Tennessee State flags that flew over the state capitol building; a Wheel of Fortune fan pack with tickets and autographed pictures; a compact disc framed and signed by Charlie Daniels; and a football from East Tennessee State University.

    Title sponsors fro this year’s event included: EcoQuest International, EcoQuest Printing, Forward Air, Landair Transport, and Warehouse Logistics. Summers-Taylor sponsored the dinner and Vulcan Materials sponsored the bid table. Table sponsorships cam from Andrew Johnson Bank, C&C Millwright Maintenance Co., First Tennessee Bank, Greene County Bank, the Greeneville Department of Parks & Recreation, Laughlin Memorial Hospital, Lawson Chevrolet, Mountain Mazda Mitsubishi, Orthopedic Center of Greeneville, Takoma Adventist Hospital,  TI Automotive, and the Town of Greeneville.

     Jim Carter, president of the local Boys & Girls Club board, expressed thanks to volunteer auctioneers Leon Bird, Eddie Yokley, and Scott Wills. Carter also thanked the staff members, board members, volunteers, the businesses that supported the even, and the people who took time out to spend the evening with the club to raise money to support the youth of the community.