Ask every athlete on your team or club to go to his or her neighbors to ask for any items that they could donate for your cause. It would help to send out letters or fliers in advance to notify them that your athletes will be stopping by. Try to get as many new items as possible donated. Donations could also consist of services such as coupons for free haircuts, massages or oil changes, etc. Local retailers will often make donations for good causes and will usually be more willing to donate a product or service than cash.

Be sure to invite everyone you approach for a donation to your event. When visiting businesses you might ask if they would post one of your fliers. Be creative and have fun.

Chinese Auction

This is more of a raffle than an auction. Sell tickets at the door for .25 or .50 each. Have all auction items set on a table with a bowl or a can next to each item. Your guests place tickets in the cans/bowls next to the items they are interested in. The auctioneer will draw the winning ticket for each item. They may increase their odds of winning by placing as many tickets as they choose with an item. It doesn't matter how much an individual item raises as your money is made at the door. If 150 people by $20.00 worth of tickets each, you will raise $3,000.00!

Silent Auction

For this type of auction set the auction items on tables and leave a sheet a paper next to each item. Have guests write their name and bids next to the items they are interested in. Through out the auction people will come back and check to see if they have been out bid and may increase their bids if they choose.

You may set a standard and state that all bids must be increased by a minimum amount. This might be twenty five cents if your auction items are not of a high value or one, five or more dollars if you are auctioning big ticket items. This type of auction works well if you do not have a room full of items to auction. If you do not have many items to auction you will probably want to set up your tables at another scheduled event such as a competition, tournament, or dinner, etc.

Mystery Auction

Have all of your club or team members bring an item to auction. You should instruct them to bring an item of a predetermined dollar amount and to bring it imaginatively wrapped. Your guest will bid on the mystery item.

Service Auction

This is an auction where services and fun activities are being auctioned. Many of your members will have someone in their family who works in a service profession, but everyone has a service they can donate. See a list of Service items in the list below:

art lessons...baby sitting...bicycle tune up...boat ride...car tune-up...car oil change... car wash...car wax...carpentary work...computer software lessons...dental cleaning... dog walking...dry cleaning...floor waxing...golf lessons...gourmet dinner...hair cut... hair color or perm...horseback ride...house cleaning...ironing...jewelry cleaning... jet skiing...karate lessons...lawn mowing...lawn mowing...manicure...massage...music lessons...oven cleaning...painting...pet grooming...plumbing...pool cleaning...pottery classes...rug cleaning...sailing trip...ski lessons...ski tuning...snowmobling...snow shoveling...tool sharpening...tree trimming...upholestery cleaning...VCR tune up... water skiing...window cleaning...yard cleaning...etc.

Traditional Auction

At a tradition auction bidders will signal the auctioneer if they are willing to pay the auctioneer price on a particular item. The auctioneer will raise the price until no one is willing to pay any higher for the item. The high bidder must buy the item. Here is a list of products that can be auctioned...

airline tickets...antiques...art work...appliances...autographed items...automobiles... baby clothes...baby furniture...baby strollers...baby toys...BBQ grills and tools... bicycles...boats...books...breif cases...cameras...china...cigars...clocks...clothing... crafts...crystal...computers...computer software...desk sets...desserts...dining sets... encyclopedia sets...fitness equipment...fitness club memberships...furniture... gardening tools...gift baskets...gloves...golf equipment...golf green fees...jet skis... jewelry...lawn furniture...leather goods...liquor baskets...luggage...motorcycles... music CD's and cassettes...musical instruments...video games and game systems... plants...rare coins...roller blades...sporting good equipment...sporting event tickets... team jerseys and apparel...theatre tickets...tools...television sets...skate boards... ski apparel...ski lift tickets...statues...stereo equipment...VCRs...videos...etc.