41st Annual Children’s Auction is Dec. 6-9

LACONIA — The Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction is pleased to announce that Hannaford Supermarkets will return as the presenting sponsor for its 2022 Children’s Auction, a fundraising event that provides grants to dozens of local nonprofit organizations to support programs focused on children in need and their families. The Auction will be held at the Belknap Marketplace on Dec. 6–9 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. 

Hannaford has been a loyal supporter of the Auction for more than 20 years, donating funds, items, and employee volunteer hours, and this is the third year the organization is filling the critical role of Presenting Sponsor. “Community is so important to us,” said Sherri Stevens, manager of community relations for Hannaford Supermarkets. “We’re incredibly proud to stand with the many caring individuals and organizations across the Greater Lakes region who invest time, money, and talents to make this Auction a success every year.”

“This is for the health of our children and the well-being of our communities today and into the future,” Stevens added. “The Auction embodies the spirit of community. It has a long-lasting impact on those who benefit from the funds raised—and the people who take part in it as well.”   

In addition to providing much-needed funding, Hannaford also offers support to the Auction by providing volunteers. Larry Poliquin, store manager in Franklin, has been volunteering for the Auction in various roles for roughly 30 years, as long as he has worked at Hannaford. He keeps Hannaford connected to the Auction. 

Poliquin serves on the Children’s Auction Board of Directors and its Disbursement Committee, which reviews all the applications from local nonprofit organizations hoping to receive funds and makes determinations. “We appreciate that Hannaford supports so many employees in giving back to the community,” Poliquin said. “That’s what keeps us strong.”

Jaimie Sousa, chair of the Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction, praised Hannaford for its ongoing dedication and support. “We are very pleased to welcome Hannaford back as the Auction’s 2022 Presenting Sponsor. The Hannaford team not only dedicates much needed funds to community organizations like the Children’s Auction, but also encourages their employees to get involved. Their broad support demonstrates true dedication to the community, and we could not be more grateful for this continued partnership.”

Learn more about the Auction at ChildrensAuction.com.

About Hannaford Supermarkets:

Hannaford Supermarkets, based in Scarborough, Maine, operates 184 stores in the Northeast. Stores are located in Maine, New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. Hannaford employs more than 26,000 associates. Additional information can be found at Hannaford.com. 

About the Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction:

The Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction is a charitable event held every December in central New Hampshire. Countless volunteers and donors have turned the Auction and its many fundraising events, including the 2022 Community Challenge, into a major annual campaign. In the 40 years that the community has come together for the Auction, an impressive $7.5 million has been awarded to local nonprofit organizations, all through volunteer efforts, community donations, and corporate sponsorship. The Greater Lakes Region Charitable Fund for Children is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that helps community organizations in the Central New Hampshire region. For more information about the Auction, the nonprofits it supports, and how you can help, visit ChildrensAuction.com.

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Shop for Good event raises $7,234

LACONIA —The Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction today announced that a collaborative fundraising event held in Center Harbor recently raised $7,234 for the Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction. 

Businesses participating in the Shop for Good event were Home Comfort, Lakes Region Computer, Gusto Italian Market, Ben and Jerry’s, Roughwood, The Makers Bazaar, and Bayswater Books.

“We are pleased to be able to support an organization that provides basic needs to area children,” said Luke Dupuis, owner at Home Comfort. “The need is still tremendous in the Greater Lakes Region area, but not greater than the hearts, commitment, and passion within our community—the real heroes who make the magic happen every year. Together, we help so many, and we are proud to continue making a difference within the greater Lakes Region.”

Over the past four decades, the Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction has distributed over $7.5 million dollars to nonprofits that serve under-resourced children and families in the area.

To get involved, visit ChildrensAuction.com or call 603-527-0999.

About the Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction

The Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction is a charitable event held every December in central New Hampshire. Countless volunteers and donors have turned the Auction and its many fundraising events, including the 2022 Community Challenge, into a major annual campaign. In the 40 years that the community has come together for the Auction, an impressive $7.5 million has been awarded to local nonprofit organizations, all through volunteer efforts, community donations, and corporate sponsorship. The Greater Lakes Region Charitable Fund for Children is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that helps community organizations in the Central New Hampshire region. For more information about the Auction, the nonprofits it supports, and how you can help, visit ChildrensAuction.com.

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An Evening of Broadway to be held on August 17 at the Colonial Theatre Laconia

LACONIA —The Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction will hold its first theater fundraising event, An Evening of Broadway, on Wednesday, August 17 at 7 p.m. at the Colonial Theatre Laconia.

The event is family-friendly, and tickets range from $20-$30. Individuals are also invited to sponsor a seat for $20 per child to allow children from the Boys and Girls Club to attend at no cost. All donations are tax deductible.

Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased online at coloniallaconia.com or in person at the box office at 609 Main St., Laconia, Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

“We are very excited to be collaborating with local community theater groups to create this fundraising event,” stated Jennifer Kelley, the Auction’s executive director. “Our area is robust with talent, and we are eager to showcase it. We are also thrilled to give kids in need the ability to attend the show at no cost with our Sponsor a Seat initiative.” 

The show will offer musical performances of all ages from local community theater groups, including Franklin Footlight Theatre, One Light Theatre, Pittsfield Players, Powerhouse Theatre Collaborative, and Streetcar Company. This event is made possible by the generous sponsorship of Bank of New Hampshire and MB Tractor.

Jessica Alward, a longtime community theater performer, said, “The Children’s Auction makes a significant impact for low-income kids in the area. Many children have had the chance to participate in theater only because of the Auction. We are thrilled to be able to give just a little bit back through this event. There will be at least five local community theaters represented in the show and all those talented Lakes Region performers will have the chance to share one big stage!” 

The mission of the Children’s Auction is to engage the community to financially support children in need with a vision to ensure that every child is empowered to succeed and positively impact a thriving Greater Lakes Region community. 

Over the past 40 years, the Auction has distributed $7.5 million to local nonprofits that serve people living with low to moderate incomes.

For more information on the Auction or the performance, contact Kelley at Jenn@ChildrensAuction.com or call 603-527-0999.

Learn more about the Auction at ChildrensAuction.com.

About the Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction:

The Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction is a charitable event held every December in central New Hampshire. Countless volunteers and donors have turned the Auction and its many fundraising events, including the It’s For the Kids Community Challenge, into a major annual campaign. In the 40 years that the community has come together for the Auction, an impressive $7.5 million has been awarded to local nonprofit organizations, all through volunteer efforts, community donations, and corporate sponsorship. The Greater Lakes Region Charitable Fund for Children is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that helps community organizations in the Central New Hampshire region. For more information about the Auction, the nonprofits it supports, and how you can help, visit ChildrensAuction.com.

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LACONIA — ’Tis the season to support the Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction, and local businesses are now selling decorative ornaments for in-store display or to take home. The ornaments cost $1, $5, or $10 and help raise money for the auction, which will be held this year from Tuesday, Dec. 7 through Friday, Dec. 10 at Tanger Outlets in Tilton.

The ornaments are four-inch-round cardstock decorations that customers can write their names on for display at a business or to take home. All proceeds benefit the auction.

Ornaments are available at: Café Déjà Vu, 311 Court St., Laconia; Crazy Gringo, 306 Lakeside Ave., Laconia; Franklin Savings Bank, 11 Sawmill Road, Gilford; Gilford Country Store, 1934 Lake Shore Road, Gilford; ​Gilford Hills Tennis & Fitness Club, 314 Old Lakeshore Road, Gilford; H. Salon, 28 Weirs Road, Gilford; Hermit Woods Winery & Deli, 72 Main St., Meredith; Live Love Lake, 7 North Main St., Wolfeboro; Middleton Building Supply, 157 Main St., Meredith; Nahamsha Gifts, 63 Main St., Meredith; Patrick’s Pub & Eatery, 18 Weirs Road, Gilford; The Wine’ing Butcher, 28 Weirs Road, Gilford; The Wine’ing Butcher, 81 Route 25, Meredith; Shooter’s Tavern, 190 DW Highway, Belmont; Winnipesaukee Bay Gulls 2, 18 Weirs Road, Gilford, and Winnipesaukee Bay Gulls, 118 Whittier Highway, Moultonborough; and Laconia Village Bakery, 660 Main St., Laconia.

Gilford Country Store, 1934 Lake Shore Road, Gilford; Nahamsha Gifts, 63 Main St., Meredith; and Live Love Lake, 7 North Main St., Wolfeboro; offer five percent off non-consignment store purchases if one buys a $5 ornament and 10 percent off if one buys a $10 ornament.

About the Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction:

The Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction is a charitable event held every December in central New Hampshire. Countless volunteers and donors have turned the Auction and its many fundraising events, including, It’s for the Kids Community Challenge (formerly PubMania), into a major annual campaign. In the 39 years that the community has come together for the Auction, more than $6 million has been raised for local charities, all through volunteer efforts, community donations, and corporate sponsorship.  The Greater Lakes Region Charitable Fund for Children is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that helps community organizations in the Central New Hampshire region. For more information about the Auction, the nonprofits it supports, and how you can help, visit ChildrensAuction.com.

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Registration open for Cycle Mania event that supports the Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction 

LACONIA—The Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction is excited to announce that the Cycle Mania fundraiser that benefits the auction will return this year with an event on Dec. 7 from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Gilford Hills Tennis & Fitness Club.

Participants may sign up to cycle for one hour or multiple one-hour slots during the event; the cost is $20 per hour, and all funds benefit the Children’s Auction, which will be held Tuesday, Dec. 7 through Friday, Dec. 10 at the Tanger Outlets. Registration is required in advance at www.childrensauction.com.

Anyone interested in taking part should sign up soon, as there are limited slots; when you register, you can choose a 2021 Challenge team, and your fee will count toward that team. 

Cycle Mania debuted in 2007 at the Laconia Athletic and Swim Club by its owners at the time, Tom and Lori Oakley. Mike “Mad Dog” Gallagher of Gilford and John “Blue Dog” Jurczynski of Holderness broke the current Guinness World Record of 111 hours, 11 minutes, and 11 consecutive seconds spent on a stationary cycle that year. 

“For our 40th year celebration, we thought it incredibly fitting that we bring back Cycle Mania,” said auction Executive Director Jennifer Kelley. “We were thrilled to be hosted by Gilford Hills Tennis & Fitness Club, where we will have 18 bikes with people pedaling for 12 hours. There will be lots of music and energy. Cycle Mania is rolling back into town to raise money for children and families in need.”

While many auction items have been received at this time, there is a need for thousands of items to raise enough money to meet the needs of the community.  

Auction leaders will collect new, unused, unwrapped items right up to the week of the auction. Gift cards, electronics, tools, toys, sporting goods, and household items all bring the highest bids. Go to our website at ChildrensAuction.com for a list of convenient donation drop-off sites throughout the Lakes Region. And on Black Friday weekend, Friday, November 26 to Sunday, November 28, visit the collection site at Tanger Outlets and drop your items off between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Learn more about the auction at www.ChildrensAuction.com, where you can discover sponsorship opportunities, donate, or volunteer, or email Jenn@ChildrensAuction.com.

About the Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction:

The Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction is a charitable event held every December in central New Hampshire. Countless volunteers and donors have turned the auction and its many fundraising events, including the 2021 Challenge, into a major annual campaign. In the 40 years that the community has come together for the auction, an impressive $7 million has been awarded to local nonprofit organizations, all through volunteer efforts, community donations, and corporate sponsorship. The Greater Lakes Region Charitable Fund for Children is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that helps community organizations in the Central New Hampshire region. For more information about the auction, the nonprofits it supports, and how you can help, visit ChildrensAuction.com.

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LACONIA—The Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year as an annual fundraising event that provides grant funds to dozens of nonprofit organizations that assist underserved children. 

“We kicked off the 40th celebration with a webinar for all of our volunteers on May 19, powered by The Enablement Group, and we updated our volunteers on the 2021 auction,” said Executive Director Jennifer Kelley.  

Created in 1981 as a one-day radio auction—the brainchild of Warren Bailey, then a DJ for WLNH—the annual event has since raised over $7 million for children and families in the Lakes Region.

“It has evolved so much, and it really is a tradition,” said Bailey. “There are so many people I run into who come here to visit relatives. Not a year goes by that I don’t see somebody who shares a memory of being a child who benefited. They reminisce about the past and say it’s not Christmas until they get into the Lakes Region so they can listen and hear and see the Auction.”

Bailey feels a tremendous sense of pride that he founded the auction. “From the very beginning, when I witnessed the unseen poverty and brought the idea back to the radio station, members of the community said, ‘Yes, how can I help?’”

“That generosity continues now with the 40th,” he added. “It’s now such a large organization that helps out so many.”

The auction’s mission is to engage the community to financially support children in need with a vision to ensure that every child is empowered to succeed and positively impact a thriving Greater Lakes Region community. 

In its 40th year, leaders of the auction, including Executive Director Jennifer Kelley and a 17-member board, want to spread the word about the good work it does in the Lakes Region. 

These are some ways area residents can help: 

• Learn more about the Auction by visiting www.childrensauction.com/. “We help agencies that support children in need by providing basic needs, like food, clothing, and shelter; services to help mitigate those needs; and educational and recreational opportunities that kids would not have access to otherwise,” said Jaimie Sousa, board chairperson.
• Tell 40 people about the Auction’s work and how it improves the lives of children and families in the Lakes Region—whether in person, via email, or on social media. “Helping us spread the word will make the community stronger by increasing auction donations and bids,” Sousa said.
• Help recruit auction items or fundraise. You will have fun and make great friends in the process. 
• Make a donation. Said Sousa, “Financial support allows us to expand opportunities for children. Each year we have many more deserving grant requests than we can possibly meet. We have grown incredibly, but there is still more to do. Consider giving $40 as a celebration of 40 years!”

Learn more about the auction at www.ChildrensAuction.com, where you can discover sponsorship opportunities, donate or volunteer or email Jenn@ChildrensAuction.com.

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