This year’s auction to be held virtually; donations sought before Nov. 28

LACONIA — The Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction (GLRCA) is looking for short video recordings of local talent to share during the auction event scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 8 to Friday, Dec. 11.  

“Singers, dancers, and perhaps even a reading of the “Night Before Christmas” would be welcome, creative additions,” Event Coordinator Jennifer Kelley said. To participate, contact Kelley at Jenn@ChildrensAuction.com or 603-527-0999; the auction will not accept unsolicited video.

“We want to ensure the messages are holiday appropriate and diverse,” Kelley said, noting that auction leaders would ensure that the entertainment is fresh and not repetitive. “Lakes Region Public Access recommends that you hold your phone horizontally, not vertically, and not use the “zoom” feature, to ensure that your content is in great shape for TV.”

Kelley said auction board members have also reached out to nonprofits who received grant funding in years past as well as sponsors from the last several years so that they too could share video greetings with this year’s online, TV, and radio audiences.

Jaime Sousa, GLRCA board chairperson, announced in October that, because of the threat of COVID-19, this year’s auction will be held virtually from the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion. “It was important for us to ensure that our bidders, volunteers, radio and television staff, donors, and sponsors would be as safe and healthy as possible so that everyone can enjoy a wonderful holiday season,” Sousa said.

She added, “We are thrilled that the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion has offered to let us broadcast and distribute items to winning bidders from their location. They have the technology we need and both the indoor and outdoor space required to keep everyone socially distanced.”

Because safety is a major factor this year, auction leaders will not accept donations during the event to ensure there is time to properly sanitize and photograph every item in a manner in which volunteers can social distance. 

While many 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.  

“Local businesses have stepped up to gather items, allowing us to have item drives in their parking lots,” Sousa said. “Items need to be in by the end of November for us to safely prepare for the auction.” 

Visit www.childrensauction.com for drop-off locations. Volunteers will also collect items on Friday, Nov. 27 and Saturday, Nov. 28 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion. At all drop-off sites, donors must bring a completed form, available at https://bit.ly/32ahYHb.

Gift cards can be ordered online for donation to the auction; mail gift card donations to GLRCA, 383 South Main Street, Laconia, NH 03246.

Only a small group of volunteers, radio, and TV personnel will be welcomed on the auction set during the event. “We are sad that we cannot allow people to stop by to drop off checks and items, see the set, or perform for us,” Sousa said. “We are gathering talent videos to provide that entertainment. While the auction will be different this year, it will still be exciting, warm, and wonderful.”

Several new programs and benefits have already been announced as a result of the changes brought about by COVID. For instance, the Beetle family of Patrick’s Pub & Eatery has reimagined its Pub Mania fundraiser, instead launching the “It’s for the Kids Community Challenge” in its place. An unlimited number of teams of various sizes will be safely spread out at businesses throughout the Lakes Region.

In one other change this year, Sousa said all bidders will be able to schedule their pick-up this year to cut down on wait time and ensure that there will be much smaller groups of people at the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion at any one time.

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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Unique online event supports area businesspeople and provides residents and community members with a fun activity—and information

LONGMEADOW—Glenmeadow will offer a livestreamed raffle at the end of October, supporting area businesses while also providing a fun and informative activity for residents and those in the wider community.

Laura Lavoie, director of life enrichment, conceived of United We Shop #Glenmeadow; this new event will be broadcast to Glenmeadow residents on Oct. 29 at 2:30 p.m. via the nonprofit’s in-house television station. The program will also be available online for the general public at https://youtu.be/zxKqU5NfIas. After the event, a video of the raffle will remain up for viewing on YouTube.

The idea to host United We Shop #Glenmeadow came to Lavoie after a resident, Bill Burrows, asked if Glenmeadow would host such an event as an activity, and Lavoie was hesitant, given the economy. 

“There was no way I could ask small businesses struggling with COVID-19 for something we could raffle off,” Lavoie said, noting that items in raffles typically are provided through donations from area businesspeople. “I thought about it and realized, ‘What if we turn it completely around? What if we say to businesspeople, ‘We’re calling because we want to support you and want to purchase something from you.’”

For United We Shop #Glenmeadow, the life plan community purchased one item each from roughly 50 local businesses, and the products will be raffled off during a livestreamed event intended for both residents and community members. 

From Oct. 23-29, residents can purchase raffle tickets in person and indicate the items they are interested in. Members of the public can purchase tickets online and indicate their items of interest by visiting Glenmeadow.org/events. 

In addition to viewing the purchased products up for raffle, residents and community members will also be privy to information from each business, highlighting safety precautions each has taken to ensure customer safety during the pandemic.

Some of the business owners will be also be featured in brief Zoom-based conversations, in which the entrepreneurs can talk about how they have adapted their safety protocols due to COVID and whether they are open, allowing curb-side pickups, making deliveries to customers, or have other new measures in place. “Whatever they would like the public to know,” Lavoie said.

“The people running these businesses are extremely grateful,” said Lavoie, who organized the event with a committee that included these residents: Burrows, Bunny Bewick, Janet Black, and Joan Rosenbaum. “This allows businesspeople to say, ‘We’re still here. Please come in. We’re keeping people safe.’”

Lavoie said some business owners are so grateful for the support that they are matching Glenmeadow’s purchase amount, donating another item of similar—or added—value.

Professional entertainer Jimmy Mazz will help host the event with Glenmeadow’s President and CEO Anne Thomas. Together, they will draw winners’ names.

Any proceeds that result from the raffle will be used to defray the cost of Glenmeadow’s own adaptations due to COVID. 

Anne Thomas, Glenmeadow’s president and CEO, said the raffle is a great example of the creative freedom that staff have to be innovative as they enhance the lives of residents. “This is a great idea, and I’m proud it came from a long-time team member,” Thomas said, adding, “We hope it goes viral. It’s a total win-win concept.”

Glenmeadow is a nonprofit life plan community—formerly known as a retirement community—and it has a mission to serve seniors in the Greater Springfield region, whether they live on the Longmeadow campus or in their own homes.

Established in 1884, Glenmeadow is an accredited life plan community; it provides independent and assisted living at its campus at 24 Tabor Crossing in Longmeadow and expanded Glenmeadow at Home services throughout greater Springfield.  

To learn more about Glenmeadow and its history and offerings, visit www.glenmeadow.org. 

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