Silent auction generates fun, laughter and cash
Thursday December 6, 2007 -- Natalie Miller
With staff outbidding each other and scrambling to get their dibs on particular gifts, a silent auction proved to be a fun way to raise money for the residents’ Christmas fund at Rosebridge Manor.

The Nov. 22 event generated fun and laughter and $650 for the residents’ Christmas fund.

“We were looking for a way to raise funds and have fun at the same time,” says Kori Bigelow, nutritional care manager at the Jasper long-term care.

Bigelow was inspired by a silent auction she was part of while in a moms’ group during her maternity leave. She approached her colleagues with the idea and they supported her in theory and later by donating items for auction.

“We kind of jumped in with both feet,” says Bigelow.

“We got a lot of support from staff and families.”

Employees and relatives stepped up donating baked goods, crafts, clothing, Christmas decorations and “pretty much everything under the sun,” says Bigelow. There were approximately 50 items up for bid. Bigelow, with the support of Kathy Barr, life enrichment co-ordinator, advertised in the home’s newsletter.

Despite a snowstorm interfering with members of the general community attending, the event was still a hit in terms of generating friendly competition as well as cash for the residents’ Christmas fund. “It was a huge success,” says Bigelow.

“It was fun,” she says, and “it was for a good cause.”

The money raised enables Rosebridge staff to buy extras for residents at Christmas time and presents for those seniors who don’t have family. “It’s to make the residents’ Christmas more special,” she says. With plenty of live entertainment booked for December, that involves a large chunk of the life enrichment department’s budget, notes Bigelow, adding this event helps put more money in the bank at Christmas, which comes in handy at this time of year.

Given this year’s success, Bigelow hopes to make the silent auction an annual event around this time of year.