Friday, October 23, 2009 6:10 PM CDT
Annual United Way auction aims for $10,000
By HERB MEEKER, Staff Writer
hmeeker@jg-tc.com
MATTOON — Making a cold call to Minnesota for a donation can make a charity volunteer almost shiver — even in the summer.
Of course, it helped that Tana Willaredt, co-chairwoman of the United Way of Coles County live auction, was calling to help a good cause. Like ice falling on a warm day in the Land of a Thousand Lakes, the donated items for the auction were gradually secured for a Minnesota trip: a stay at a Hampton Inn in Minneapolis-St. Paul, then a dinner at an upscale Thai restaurant, tickets to a jazz club, plus the Science Center of Minnesota and Minnesota Landscape Arboretum.
Working the past few months with co-chair Lynn Wanserski, a friend since childhood, Willaredt started connecting the dots for dream getaways to Chicago and St. Louis for weekends, and San Francisco and the wine country of Sonoma County, as well as a Midwest garden tour, including the Anderson Japanese Garden in Rockford, the Olbrich Garden in Madison, Wisc., and Morton Arboretum in Lisle near Chicago.
It also helps that they like to travel and have an interest in gardening.
“This year we wanted the live auction to offer some great experiences, not just items. Sometimes being persistent can work. I was on the denial list at one business and then I mentioned it was for United Way and they offered tickets,” said Willaredt prior to United Way auction Thursday night at the Mattoon Golf and Country Club.
Of course, the live auction did offer some practical items for the travelers: a set of tires was among items on the bidding block.
The economic downturn has made it hard on charities this year, but Wanserski did not get too many cold shoulders from businesses to assist with the auction, which also includes donated items sold through a silent auction.
“There were not too many I ran into who could not help us out,” Wanserski recalled.
The collaborative effort between the two women and their experienced committee members, totaling 10, produced some interesting brainstorming moments.
“Lynn is the organized one and logical. I just go off out there. And then she pulls me in,” Willaredt said with a laugh.
The silent auction items had some travel practicality to them as well, including luggage, warm clothing and wine baskets. Some of them fit the idea of staycations or keeping close to home to save money.
“Yes, we wanted our bidders to be carried away, and not just carrying things away,” said Carolyn Cloyd, county United Way executive director.
The goal of the auction was $10,000 to match last year’s total. The auction co-chairs had a warm feeling that trips throughout the Midwest next summer and to sunny California could help United Way agencies.
“We had a good feeling people were showing interest. We put the list on Facebook and Carolyn got calls from people after they looked at it,” Wanserski said.
Contact Herb Meeker at hmeeker@jg-tc.com or 238-6869.
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