The Jefferson College Foundation is seeking donations of items for its fourth annual online auction to be held the third week of April.
Blake Tilley, the foundation’s executive director, said the foundation, a nonprofit organization that supports Jefferson College students, already has some impressive items to auction at the fundraiser, but it could use more.
The foundation relies on donated items to make the auction a success, he said.
“The deadline to donate is April 7,” Tilley said. “The online auction is one of our two main fundraising events of the year. The other is our golf tournament (in the fall).”
A new wrinkle to the fundraising event is an in-person “watch party” the final night of the online auction, which starts at 12:01 a.m. Monday, April 17, and ends at 8 p.m. Saturday, April 22.
The watch party will start at 5 p.m. Saturday, April 22, on the Student Center’s First Floor, 1000 Viking Drive, in Hillsboro. Admission is $40 per ticket.
“This is new,” he said. “It’s a watch party for the bids. We’re going to have food and drink and we’ll have the auction items on display. You’ll be able to make last-minute bids. We will do raffle drawings. It will be an exclusive raffle for anyone who buys a ticket to the party. There will be many prizes.”
Tilley said one of the items that will be up for bid is a firepit made by students in the college welding program.
“That’s been popular at past auctions,” he said. “The carpentry program is providing a picnic table and an outdoor shed. Those are separate bid items.
“A side of (a hog) and a side of beef, again separate items, will be up for bid. There’s a Milwaukee tool combo.”
Tilley said Villa Antonio Winery northeast of Hillsboro donated an item that will likely attract a great deal of interest.
“Villa Antonio is donating a ‘firepit evening’ for a party of people,” he said. “It’s an intimate evening at Villa Antonio for you and your friends with wine and beer provided.”
The full list of items offered in the auction may be found at Jeffco.edu. Once there, look for the Giving category and click on Events, then the Auction box.
“Foundation board members donate items,” Tilley said. “Other items are donated from the public and from businesses.”
He said he would like to see this year’s online auction surpass the $43,000 the event raised in 2022.
“This year’s goal will be $50,000,” he said.
Funds raised by the foundation are used to help students by providing scholarships, emergency grants, book store grants and other college-related funding requests, Tilley said.
To donate or for more information, call Tilley at 636-481-3104, visit the college website listed above or visit the Jefferson College Foundation, Inc. Facebook page.