Contributed by AUUF
Looking for exotic, one-of-a-kind or just plain fabulous gifts for your loved ones? Or perhaps you need to treat yourself? A unique shopping experience awaits you. Every year in December, the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (AUUF) holds a fundraising auction in its sanctuary, which raises a portion of its annual budget. Over the past two-plus decades, the auction has become an area tradition, ushering in this most festive of months with food, fun and fellowship. This year, due to health and safety precautions in place because of COVID-19, the auction is going digital.
“It’s fun to bid and fun to watch the auction,” said AUUF member Teresa Rodriguez. “There is something for every size of pocketbook. We usually have over 100 attendees from the community, and many of them have been coming for years. This is our big fundraiser for the year, and we invite everyone to be a part of it.”
The 28th annual AUUF auction will be held in two parts: a silent auction taking place online Dec. 7-11 and a live auction taking place on Dec.11 at 7 p.m. This free and festive event, open to the general public, offers items like fancy champagne, art work, housewares, books, jewelry, meals (including a dinner for eight on the terrace from Ursula’s Catering), quilts, homemade bread, pottery, services such as yardwork and more!
“There’s a ‘good will’ element to the auction,” said AUUF former minister Rev. Diana Jordan Allende. “It strikes me as an opening into the season of joy and sharing.”
AUUF will be using the platforms Auctria and Facebook for the auction components. Additionally, two public Zoom meetings will be held on Friday, Dec. 4 at 7 p.m. and Sunday Dec. 6 at 4 p.m. for those interested in learning more about how the virtual auction will operate and for questions. For more information, auction links, and information on how to access the public Zoom meetings, visit www.auuf.org.
“We look forward to this event annually and are excited that the tradition will continue online this year,” said AUUF Auction Chair Laura Kloberg.