The 34th annual Jefferson County Family YMCA Auction in Festus will be held online this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We have our auction every fall on the Saturday before Thanksgiving,” executive director Debbie Siebert said. “Because of COVID, can’t have it in person this year, so we decided to go virtual.”
Each year, the auction raises money to fund scholarships for people who can’t afford to pay the fees to use the facility and/or its programs. The Jefferson County Family YMCA is at 1303 YMCA Drive, Festus.
This year’s virtual auction begins Monday (Nov. 16) and will run through Saturday (Nov. 21).
Those who want to participate may contact the Jefferson County Family YMCA to register.
“You notify us you would like to participate, which you can do by phone at 636-931-9622 or by email to jeffcoy.auction@gwrymca.org,” Siebert said. “We’ll send you a link to register.”
She said the auction will offer about 100 items, split into two sections for bidding deadlines. Both halves finish Nov. 21, with the bidding for the first half set to close at 7:30 p.m. and the bidding for the other half set to close at 8 p.m.
Bidders will be impressed with the items up for auction, Siebert said.
“We have some cookie jars loaded with items worth $100 or more,” she said. “We have a few destination items, such as a Branson trip, a Lake of the Ozarks trip and a trip to YMCA Trout Lodge in Potosi.
“We have a fire pit and a smoker grill and lots of themed packages that would make great gifts, like a backyard package with a lounge recliner, solar lantern, a bug zapper and outdoor string lights. We have a booze wagon and Christmas trees.”
Siebert said the money raised through the auction goes to a good cause, so she hopes the virtual auction does well.
“We’d raise, probably, between $20,000 and $40,000 with the auction in a normal year,” she said. “We really don’t know what to expect with the virtual auction.”
For more information, call Siebert at the Jefferson County Family YMCA or email her at debbie.siebert@gwrymca.org.
