WYM: The Auction

One of the many activities during the revelry this weekend was the charity auction.  It was part "Chinese Auction" and part "Silent Auction."  This means there two types of ways to win items. Certain items could be bid on via paper, with people writing down the amount they were willing to pay for each item.  Whoever was willing to pay the most for an item, won the item.

The other items you had to purchase tickets for.  Tickets were then placed into envelopes for items of interest and winners were drawn randomly.  As long as your name was written legibly on the back, you won the item.  (I feel bad we couldn't read some of the names, though)
Donations came from all over.  We had event entrances, homemade cloaks, certificates for custom art, a magic item, gold, props, and alcohol.  We even had original art by one of my favorite online artists.  Pretty neat stuff.

All of this, by the way, was for out-of-character currency, meaning American Dollars.  The money raised (still waiting on the total, but seems to be just over $700) will be shared with War Dogs Making It Home, a charity that pulls dogs (and a few cats) from high-kill shelters and trains them to be therapy dogs for veterans with PTSD.  Last year, we helped 4 dog/vet matches complete their training.
We are also sending some funds to a small shelter for women and children right in Lowell, Ma.  House of Hope helps women get on their feet so they can provide for their families in a healthy environment.

As always, I was delighted and humbled by the quality and quantity of donations this year.  Thank you to everyone who participated by donating items or buying tickets!