Children’s Auction Names Holly Andrews an Auction Champion

LACONIA—Holly Andrews has a Children’s Auction wardrobe. She pulls it out every December for the event, wearing a different holiday dress or festive piece of clothing each of the five days she volunteers. 

In 2020, Andrews even had a holiday mask with matching headband. 

The garb the Meredith resident wears to her shifts at the Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction is only a small piece of the pleasure she gets out of being a longtime volunteer, though. She loves the event’s hustle and bustle—the clanging of the cow bells, the jingle bells, Santa hats, and the high spirits that come with doing something for the good of community.

“I love the Auction because it recharges my charitable batteries for the year,” Andrews said. “I really get filled up with giving back during that time.” 

Back in 1993, when Andrews first volunteered for the Auction, she was working at Meredith Village Savings Bank, and she was pregnant with her first child. The bank held a raffle of sorts for employees who wanted to volunteer for a time slot; the bank paid them for the hour they spent. Andrews was interested and put her name in.

For many years, when Andrews was a bank teller, she volunteered in this way and worked either as a cashier or on the phone bank. As her two children grew, she got them involved in the Auction as well. Heather and Kyle went shopping with Andrews, and they purchased items to donate. Heather later attended the Huot Career and Technical Center and helped run the video cameras at the event. 

“She really loved that,” Andrews remembered, noting both kids are grown now. 

Andrews works for New Hampshire Mutual Bank Corporation now, and her area of expertise is in IRAs and health savings accounts. Each year, she takes a week of vacation and works as a cashier with Jennifer McGreevy.

Because her work skills do not involve a lot of math, Andrews appreciates the computer. “People assume I’m good at math, but really, the computer is my life saver,” she said.

This year, given the COVID-19 pandemic and the scaled back attendance it forced on the Auction and its volunteers, Andrews worked alongside McGreevy, Diane Alting, and Lisa Cornish in the box office building at the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion. Other volunteers were in a separate building at the pavilion space, and McGreevy ran back and forth between the two.

“It was different,” Andrews said, explaining that with the COVID-19 restrictions, people could not gather live. Still, the community took part in a lively way, and the results show it. 

“I was blown away by the amount of money that was raised,” she said. “I thought for sure it would be much lower than it was. We had no idea how the system would work, and if community members would be spending money. I thought the outcome was fabulous.”

Learn more about the auction at www.ChildrensAuction.com, where you can discover more about sponsorship opportunities and ways to donate. 

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Note: I write blogs and press releases for the Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction in Laconia, New Hampshire. It’s an organization that raises money year round for children and families in need. Each month, the Auction names an Auction Champion. I wrote this blog about a recent Champion, Rae Mello-Andrews and the Gilford Fire-Rescue team.

The roughly 30 members of the Gilford Fire-Rescue team have diverse skills. In 2019 alone, the crew responded to about 1,700 calls for help and rescued people who were experiencing a medical event or were lost in the woods on a mountain, in a fire in their home or car, or injured while hunting or boating.

One overarching mission gives the Gilford Fire-Rescue staff members purpose: a desire to be there for the community—on duty and off. So, when Gilford Fire-Rescue and the Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction first joined forces in the Auction’s infancy, it seemed like a natural fit.

“It’s our mission to support our community,” says paramedic Rae Mello-Andrews, who works on-call for Gilford Fire-Rescue alongside her husband, Captain Rick Andrews. “We don’t get into this profession for the money. We’re here to help people. We see all walks of life first-hand, and we know just how hard hit some families are. Raising money to support the Children’s Auction is just a part of what we do and another extension of helping people.”

Rae got involved with the Auction in the late 1980s to honor a friend and colleague, the late Karen Warfield, who was a secretary at the fire station and was like family to Rae; Karen passed away following a long illness and complications from surgery. Gilford Fire-Rescue’s staff members made a $250 donation to the Children’s Auction in Karen’s name.

“We did it for a couple of years after that, and eventually the Children’s Auction organizers asked us if we might want to do a boot drive,” the Gilford resident remembers, noting the effort has grown over the years. “We followed through, originally by having people collect donations outside Walmart, then at Hannaford Supermarket, Shaw’s, and Lowe’s.”

Last year, Gilford Fire-Rescue raised nearly $6,000 for the Auction. The dozen or so staff members who participate in the boot drive on the Saturday following Thanksgiving, including Gilford Fire-Rescue Chief Steve Carrier, get into the holiday spirit by playing Christmas music, and they don’t let bad weather stop them.

“We’re out there in all kinds of conditions. Some years we froze, other years it’s been beautiful,” Rae says. “It’s a big team effort. It’s everybody.”

Community members have certainly taken note of those team members who brave the elements to support the Children’s Auction. Just last year, Rae says, a former colleague who is a nurse, was inspired to bring her teenage son to participate in the boot drive.

“She said it was a really good experience for him to see another side of what the Gilford Fire-Rescue team does,” Rae says. “It left a positive impression on him. Nothing would make us happier than if we are influencing young people in the community to do good, too.”

Though the team’s community service draws praise, supporting the Children’s Auction seems almost as natural as breathing to the Gilford Fire-Rescue staff members.

“We always see people when they’re not having their best day,” Rae explains. “We like helping people, and raising money for the Children’s Auction is another way to do that. It’s nothing for many of us to give up a family dinner or activity or an afternoon or day off to assist somebody who needs help. It’s just what we do.”

“The boot drives are a chance for the fire department to share our passion of caring for the community. We get to engage with our neighbors in a really positive way,” says Dom DeCarli, an Auction board member and a lieutenant with the Gilford Fire Department. “Seeing all of the local fire departments jump at the opportunity is not surprising, but it is still impressive. Much like the Auction itself, it’s been inspiring to see what a few people who want to give back can accomplish!”

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LACONIA—Larry Poliquin remembers the Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction before it was televised, back when bidding was relayed to the community by radio. Poliquin, who was assistant manager at the Franklin branch of Hannaford Supermarket at the time, tuned in early on, and immediately connected with organizers’ goal of improving the lives of local children.

So, after getting promoted to store manager at the Gilford branch, Poliquin took the reins, making donations and sending teams of volunteers—himself included—to work the phone bank and help with checking out items. What originated as a small role eventually turned into Poliquin taking a week of vacation time to see the Children’s Auction through from beginning to end, as well as becoming a member of the Board of Directors and Disbursement Committee, which reviews all of the applications from local nonprofit organizations hoping to receive funds from the auction. 

“We work year-round, but we have a big job that week at the auction each December,” he said. “And now, being on the Disbursement Committee, it’s amazing to see the amount of need this one organization fills. It’s great to see the number at the end of the week, and to know that money is going to help children.”

Hannaford has eagerly supported Poliquin and his efforts over the years. In fact, Sherri Stevens, who manages community relations for the supermarket chain, said supporting the Children’s Auction is a perfect example of Hannaford’s tagline, “Greater Than Groceries.”

“We like to think of ourselves as more than the building down the road that provides groceries,” said Stevens, a Gorham, Maine resident. “Community is so important to us at Hannaford, and it’s clear that it’s important to our associates, too. Poliquin represents Hannaford so well, and we often look to leaders like him across our 182 stores in five states to help us understand where the community’s needs are the greatest and where our involvement can have the greatest impact.”

Hannaford, Stevens continued, doesn’t like to just hand organizations checks. Rather, the preference is to understand what’s going on and invest in meaningful ways, whether that’s through providing sponsorship, having volunteers step up to help, or donating items to be auctioned off.

“The fact that Larry identified the auction as an area where we could help, and that it’s making such an impact, is so meaningful to us,” Stevens said. “We’re hugely proud of Larry and the other associates who have joined him along the way.”

Likewise, Poliquin, who has been with Hannaford for over 30 years, said the reason so many employees stay with the company for so long is because it supports community involvement and giving back.

“You don’t see that in many chain stores,” he said. “That’s what keeps us strong and keeps us committed to our organization, and that’s why we’re still here.”

A total of five Hannaford branches take part in making the Children’s Auction a success, with employees volunteering to work the phone bank and help with checking out items, as well as spearheading their own fundraising efforts beyond what Stevens’ marketing department provides in sponsorship dollars. One of the key people behind those fundraising efforts is Joe Gentile, manager of the Meredith branch. 

Though there’s certainly plenty of work involved leading up to the Children’s Auction and throughout the week itself, it also doesn’t stop once the auction goes off the air, Poliquin said. Then it’s time for Poliquin and the other four members of the Disbursement Committee to review grant applications and present recommendations for funding to the Board of Directors. In 2019, following the 38th auction, a total of $600,032 was raised for area nonprofits.

“Our committee spends weeks in the winter reviewing all the grant requests and discussing the best way to distribute the money that’s available,” Poliquin said. “We often visit the organizations we aren’t as familiar with, so we get to see firsthand what each organization is doing to help local children.”

At the end of the day, supporting children who need it most is what the auction is all about.

“Across Hannaford, our employees feel a particular passion when an event supports our kids,” Stevens said. “We know that to help our kids grow and learn and develop, we have to invest in them. We genuinely believe in and understand that they are our future.”

Visit www.ChildrensAuction.com to learn how to sponsor, donate, or volunteer.

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I help the Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction in New Hampshire with promoting its good work—raising money to offer support to children and families. I interview volunteers and pen blogs about their contributions over the decades. This piece is about Terry Hicks, who offered to televise the event many years ago, greatly expanding its reach.

Back in December 1998, Terry Hicks was brand new in the role of general manager for MetroCast in Laconia. He was also a brand-new resident of the Lakes Region. When he heard Warren Bailey broadcasting the Children’s Auction from his van in downtown Laconia, though, Terry acted the way a native member of the community would.

He offered to help—in a big way.

“I said, ‘I have access to television equipment if you want to broadcast this,” Terry explains, noting MetroCast donated all the equipment to Lakes Region Public Access, and, a year later, the Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction was televised, in 1999.

“Warren was doing a lot of stuff for the community,” Terry adds. “It just caught me that maybe this is something we could do to help him expand, and he could raise more money if he had more exposure, and sure enough, it worked.”

Terry was grateful to be connected with Warren and other fellow advocates of the Auction, such as businessmen David McGreevy, who spearheaded the building of an elaborate set from which the Auction took place, and Alan McRae, who worked for the telephone company NYNEX and made it possible for the Auction to have four phones, instead of one.

“I really enjoyed the relationships that we had,” Terry says. “They brought all the excitement. There was always a discussion about whether we’d beat the last year’s number. Every year, I was there, and I think every year since, they’ve beat the prior year. It was great. It was something you looked forward to. You started planning for it in July—what the approach was going to be, who was the staff.”

Broadcasting on WLNH from an unheated van parked on North Main Street, Warren raised $2,100 in his first auction year. Over time, volunteers like Terry began to trickle in by ones and twos and then in groups. The Auction now involves thousands, many of whom give up a week’s vacation for the privilege of taking part in dozens of ways. 

In 2019, the Auction raised $600,032.

Terry, who is now retired and living in Philadelphia with his wife, Cathy, worked in cable television starting in 1972. He has lived in Colorado, Maryland, New York, and Massachusetts and has worked for American Television and Communications Corp, which became TimeWarner, in various leadership roles. 

He was on the team that built the cable system in Rochester, New York, and was in the general manager role in Laconia when MetroCast rebuilt the system there.

In terms of the Auction, Terry didn’t just help broker equipment for broadcasting. “I was more of a volunteer,” he says, modestly, explaining when prodded that he spent a week at the Auction each year, like many others, turning the board that, back then, kept track of what was being auctioned off, what had been bid, and the current bid amount.

Cathy helped longtime—and still active—volunteer Jennifer McGreevy with organizing, tagging, and sorting incoming donations.

“In my first year, we had a board that flipped around and showed nine positions—for nine items—on a white board,” Terry explains. “When someone called to make a bid, I’d erase the former bid and mark a new one.”

On the other side of the board, Warren’s daughter was reloading new items. “It wasn’t nearly as automated as it is today,” he says.

“I was there all day for the whole week, and every now and then, somebody would come and substitute on the board, so I could drink a cup of coffee or have a Coke or something,” Terry says. “Jennifer and Cathy did a phenomenal job of organizing the items for sale and keeping them straight.”

Terry retired from the cable industry in 2003, and in 2008, after living in the Lakes Region for about a decade, he and Cathy moved to Philadelphia to be closer to their daughter and granddaughter. 

Terry has returned to the area once to attend the Auction, and still keeps in touch with Warren and David and Susan Rountree, volunteers who he called “huge motivators.”

“Taking part in the Auction was a wonderful experience for me,” he says. “It’s something I’ll never, ever forget.”

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Terry Hicks’ contributions changed the scope of the Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction

LACONIA— Back in December 1998, Terry Hicks was brand new in the role of general manager for MetroCast in Laconia. He was also a brand-new resident of the Lakes Region. When he heard Warren Bailey broadcasting the Children’s Auction from his van in downtown Laconia, though, Hicks acted the way a native member of the community would.

He offered to help—in a big way.

“I said, ‘I have access to television equipment if you want to broadcast this,” Hicks explained, noting MetroCast donated all the equipment to Lakes Region Public Access, and, a year later, the Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction was televised, in 1999.

“Warren was doing a lot of stuff for the community,” Hicks added. “It just caught me that maybe this is something we could do to help him expand, and he could raise more money if he had more exposure, and sure enough, it worked.”

Hicks was grateful to be connected with Bailey and other fellow advocates of the Auction, such as businessmen David McGreevy, who spearheaded the building of an elaborate set from which the Auction took place, and Alan McRae, who worked for the telephone company NYNEX and made it possible for the Auction to have four phones, instead of one.

“I really enjoyed the relationships that we had,” Hicks said. “They brought all the excitement. There was always a discussion about whether we’d beat the last year’s number. Every year, I was there, and I think every year since, they’ve beat the prior year. It was great. It was something you looked forward to. You started planning for it in July—what the approach was going to be, who was the staff.”

Broadcasting on WLNH from an unheated van parked on North Main Street, Bailey raised $2,100 in his first auction year. Over time, volunteers like Hicks began to trickle in by ones and twos and then in groups. The Auction now involves thousands, many of whom give up a week’s vacation for the privilege of taking part in dozens of ways. 

In 2019, the Auction raised $600,032.

Hicks, who is now retired and living in Philadelphia with his wife, Cathy, worked in cable television starting in 1972. He has lived in Colorado, Maryland, New York, and Massachusetts and has worked for American Television and Communications Corp, which became TimeWarner, in various leadership roles. 

He was on the team that built the cable system in Rochester, New York, and was in the general manager role in Laconia when MetroCast rebuilt the system there.

In terms of the Auction, Hicks didn’t just help broker equipment for broadcasting. “I was more of a volunteer,” he said, modestly, explaining when prodded that he spent a week at the Auction each year, like many others, turning the board that, back then, kept track of what was being auctioned off, what had been bid, and the current bid amount.

His wife, Cathy, helped longtime—and still active—volunteer Jennifer McGreevy with organizing, tagging, and sorting incoming donations.

“In my first year, we had a board that flipped around and showed nine positions—for nine items—on a white board,” Hicks explained. “When someone called to make a bid, I’d erase the former bid and mark a new one.”

On the other side of the board, Bailey’s daughter was reloading new items. “It wasn’t nearly as automated as it is today,” Hicks said.

“I was there all day for the whole week, and every now and then, somebody would come and substitute on the board, so I could drink a cup of coffee or have a Coke or something,” Hicks said. “Jennifer and Cathy did a phenomenal job of organizing the items for sale and keeping them straight.”

Hicks retired from the cable industry in 2003, and in 2008, after living in the Lakes Region for about a decade, he and Cathy moved to Philadelphia to be closer to their daughter and granddaughter. 

Hicks has returned to the area once to attend the Auction, and still keeps in touch with Bailey and David and Susan Rountree, volunteers who he called “huge motivators.”

“Taking part in the Auction was a wonderful experience for me,” he said. “It’s something I’ll never, ever forget.”

Visit www.ChildrensAuction.com to learn how to sponsor, donate, or volunteer.

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LACONIA—After Paul Daisy retired and moved from New Jersey to Moultonborough, he went looking for volunteer opportunities to fill his time. He got connected to St. Vincent de Paul and later learned that the Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction helped to support his new, favorite nonprofit.

So, Daisy signed up as an Auction volunteer, too, working at the fundraising event each day from start to close. That was back in 2003, and 17 years later, Daisy is still working all week with Jennifer McGreevy, the first Auction volunteer he met on his first day. And he’s also working alongside Jennifer’s children—and other young people Daisy has watched grow up over the years. 

It’s these connections Daisy values most about his work with the nonprofit.

“You meet people who you only see once a year, and yet it seems like you’re reconnecting with an old friend, year after year,” Daisy said. “Just like with Jennifer, I’ve watched her family grow along the way.”

Daisy, now 79, settled in Moultonborough in 2001, having recently retired from running his own business, working as a consultant on business process re-engineering with Fortune 500 companies around the United States. In his business he helped clients transition from paper to electronic exchange of common business transactions. 

It seems fitting, then, that Daisy’s early role with the Children’s Auction involved the processing of donations, which has now become more high-tech. Daisy helped donors document their donation, indicating their name, a description of the item, and its estimated worth. Another volunteer inputted the information and sorted the donations by category, with Daisy acting as the go-between. After the items were auctioned off, he would carry them to the pick-up area.

Functionally, it still all works similarly now, but computers, digital photography, and scanners are involved.

Daisy said, from his vantage point, the recent Children’s Auctions now dwarf the efforts of past years in terms of volume of donations and the total amount raised. The annual event now supports 62 nonprofits in the Lakes Region. While it raised $2,100 in its first year, it brought in $600,032 this year, its 38th. 

“It is enjoyable because of the people I work alongside,” Daisy said again. “A lot of people put in way more than a week of time to ensure the Auction was well set up and then ran smoothly. It’s an extremely worthwhile event.”

Having moved from a metro area where auctions were broadcast on the radio and on television, often raising millions for a cause wasn’t unusual in Daisy’s former world. But in a more rural environment like New Hampshire, he has always been impressed by the Children’s Auctions’ fundraising.

“I came here, and I found that, comparatively, we actually blew the amount of money being raised in metro areas out of the water,” he said. “It’s mind-boggling, and it’s because people are just so motivated to support our local children.”

At the 2020 Children’s Auction, you’ll likely find Daisy collecting donated items, taking photos of them, and otherwise helping behind the scenes. He’s also convinced some of his friends and loved ones—like close his friend Lisa Cornish, someone he met through St. Vincent de Paul, and his late wife, Gwen—to lend a hand, too.

“Since I started, the Children’s Auction has become more popular. A lot of people are interested in being part of it,” he said. “I’ll continue to volunteer myself for as long as I can. It’s an inspiring effort to raise money for the children who need it most.”

Visit www.ChildrensAuction.com to learn how to sponsor, donate, or volunteer.

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Longtime Children’s Auction volunteer talks about growth over the years

LACONIA—Back in the day, Jennifer McGreevy’s work with the Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction was as grassroots as opening the phone book and calling businesses at random to solicit donations. Then, she’d hop in the car, with her infant daughter Callie in tow, and pick up whatever was offered, sometimes driving as far as Center Harbor.

That was 20 years ago, before dozens of volunteers like McGreevy brought dramatic change to the Auction, building sets as well as protocols and implementing technological systems that keep the week-long event running smoothly and efficiently. 

“There was a time when I was the nucleus at the center of the inputting station, where the items are donated, where they go on the block, the bid board, and the cashier station,” McGreevy recalled. “Now, I’m a part of a small piece of it all, overseeing all the cashiering and the items that have sold.”

She added, “The Children’s Auction evolves. That’s important.”

The annual event that now supports 62 nonprofits in the Lakes Region raised $2,100 in its first year and $600,032 this year, its 38th. There has been tremendous growth and positive change, yet McGreevy can’t help but feel slightly wistful about “the old days.” 

All those years ago, parents and children would come in or call the Auction center to make a request for help. “They might say, ‘I’m a mom with three kids, and I can’t pay for Christmas gifts,’” McGreevy remembered, getting teary. “The next thing we’d know, a volunteer would come with a truck with a bed and a comforter. It was pretty cool to be part of that.”

The support the event provides, while critical, is not individual or personal now. The Children’s Auction is a nonprofit, and it offers grants to nonprofits, which in turn have the direct contact and relationships with people in need. “We’ve gotten so big we can’t take individual requests,” McGreevy said, adding, “The money gets where it’s needed. It’s very heartwarming to be part of this. It’s remarkable what we’re able to do.”

McGreevy got involved with the Auction because her husband, David, was friends with founder Warren Bailey. “He said, ‘Come and help and get more involved,” McGreevy remembered. 

She put her organizational skills to work. She created a system for managing the many gift certificates that were donated to be auctioned off. “I remember walking in and saying, ‘This doesn’t seem very efficient. There’s got to be a better way. Alphabetize them, or organize them by category or type,’” McGreevy said. “I helped modernize the systems.”

Thanks to R.J. Harding, the pen-on-paper method of tracking donations, which yielded hundreds of reams of paper over five days, has also been replaced with digital software. The only paper that remains are sheets that travel with the items on the bidding boards, helping the presenters learn about what’s being auctioned off and by whom.

David McGreevy has been key in the growth, too. In the event’s early years, when the Auction venue was a van, David McGreevy helped find a vacant downtown space for it to be held, spearheading the beginnings of big change. As the owner of McGreevy Automotive at the time, David McGreevy also drew on his relationship with Metrocast’s general manager Terry Hicks to help get the event televised for the first time in 1998.

Everyone in the McGreevy family takes part in the Auction, including the couple’s children—20-year-old Callie, 17-year-old Colin, and 12-year-old Carson. “It’s become a family tradition,” Jennifer McGreevy said. “Carson begs me to take a day off from Gilford Middle School so he can volunteer backstage, and if his grades are good, he gets to do that.”

This year, Carson was at the Auction on Thursday, bustling around with his mother. 

As the director of company partnerships with Boothby Therapy Services, which employs related service providers in schools across New Hampshire, Jennifer McGreevy has the freedom to work remotely from the Auction most of the week. Boothby owners Christopher and Maren Boothby understand the drive to take part, as they are also active with the Auction and have been for many years; Christopher Boothby has sat on the board of directors.

Now that the Auction venue is a former department store, Jennifer McGreevy can sometimes be found hiding out in a dressing room, working.

Juggling the demands of life and Auction ensure that at week’s end, McGreevy is exhausted. But she wouldn’t change a thing. “I love to be involved in something that is for the greater good,” she says. “It’s such a great sense of community.”

Visit www.ChildrensAuction.com to learn how to sponsor, donate or volunteer.

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The Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction is a charitable organization in New Hampshire that I support by writing blogs and press releases. The auction raises money every December and distributes grants to children and families in need. This blog on volunteer Debbie Frawley Drake was used on the auction website and in its summer newsletter. I also sent the story out to the media in the Lakes Region, and it was picked up by several newspapers.

When children come to buy a bike or a toy for which they have saved their own money.

When men and women come with an item to donate that might be valued at under a few dollars, and they say, “This is all I have. Can you use it?”

When the many volunteers at the Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction laugh out loud together.

Those are the moments that keep Debbie Frawley Drake coming back for the entire week of our Auction, year after year. “It’s what I love to see,” Debbie says. “It shows how connected we all are.”

Debbie is one of roughly 50 volunteers who take a week off from their jobs—or their busy lives—to help us make the Children’s Auction run smoothly. She is a longtime Children’s Auction Champion, and we appreciate her dedication and support.

Back in the late 1980s and early 1990s, Debbie would listen to the Auction on the radio each year to hear what was happening and place a few bids. Busy with her family business and the mother of two young children, she had little free time. Volunteering was out of the question.

“I didn’t have the extra time to offer at the Auction, but I certainly tuned in on the radio and would bid on items for Christmas presents,” she recalls. “But after the Children’s Auction moved from its small office space on Main Street and eventually to the Lake Opechee Inn and Spa, auctioneer Doris Makley asked me to help for a few hours in the evenings.”

Debbie notified winning bidders with a friendly phone call. Later, she manned the item pick-up and payment desk. She also learned to run the phone bank and eventually became a greeter.

“Some of the people who come by to drop things off, I might only see once or twice a year,” Debbie notes. “Sometimes I’d meet a child who worked all year to save their pennies to buy a bicycle, and I’d introduce them to Ed Darling—who looks like Santa Claus—and he’d take that child on the air. Those stories are so important to share with the community.”

After Debbie’s children went to college, and she sold her business in 2009, it was easier to commit a full week of her time to volunteer. Now she works the front of the house with the action happening somewhere behind her, out of view.

She plans staffing for the greeting area where items are accepted, directs volunteers and visitors to the right people, answers lots of questions, and helps with crowd control when auction headquarters swells with children and families waiting to perform an opening number or to get an autograph signed by a New England sports legend.

“It’s all about giving,” Debbie says. “The Children’s Auction puts you in the giving spirit at Christmastime, and you get to work with such wonderful people to make it happen. It’s amazing what a small community can do when people pull together. It’s all about love.”

Debbie is active with the Laconia Historical & Museum Society, the Laconia Multicultural Festival, and the Holy Trinity Endowment Trust. She was involved with the Belknap Economic Development Council for many years. She also volunteers with nonprofits that benefit from the Auction, such as Hands Across the Table.  

“The money goes in so many directions,” says Debbie, reflecting on the overwhelming success of the event now.

Debbie enjoys that the Auction has become somewhat of a spectator sport, drawing a crowd of 20 or 30 each day—people who watch or place bids. “People like to be a part of it,” she says. “It’s fun for them to sit and watch all the cameras and action on set.”

Debbie likes that students from the Huot Technical Center get to try their hand behind the video equipment. “So many people are learning and having good experiences that week as a result of the Auction. There’s a lot of excitement,” she says. “It shows how joyful it can be, helping people.”

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Weekly fundraiser resumes tonight at Patrick’s Pub & Eatery and runs through Oct. 24

GILFORD—When Kate Flaherty moved back to New Hampshire from Massachusetts in 2015, she was drawn back into the fold by her longtime friends at Patrick’s Pub & Eatery as a volunteer for the Pub Mania Shuffle and the Pub Mania event itself.

These days, Flaherty’s face is often the first one that new members of Pub Mania teams see when they arrive in the pub parking lot to Shuffle on a Wednesday evening in the spring or fall, and it’s Flaherty who offers the welcome and draws people in.

“Every time we do a Shuffle, we always meet new people; they come down because they’ve read about the event in the newspaper,” said Flaherty, who mans the ticket booth at the Shuffle along with fellow volunteers Jennifer Beetle, Jennifer Bailey, and Lisa Cornish.  

Flaherty’s Shuffle story, and that of the fundraiser itself, is told online at www.patrickspub.com in a new blog Patrick’s launched on Aug. 13.

Flaherty said they all enjoy telling Shufflers how the two-mile walk/run supports Pub Mania, which, in turn, provides a large portion of the proceeds for the Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction. Last year, Pub Mania raised $303,630 and has raised over $1.6 million in its first nine years.

This spring, the eight Wednesday Shuffles raised $9,020 for the 2018 Pub Mania event, bringing the five-year Shuffle total to over $52,000. The fall Shuffles begin tonight and continue through Oct. 24. All are welcome to attend.

“What I have noticed is that the Shuffle gets people from different parts of the Lakes Region together, and our common goal is making this beautiful place even better and helping children who need our support,” Flaherty said.

“Many people don’t know about Pub Mania or the Children’s Auction,” she added. “It’s always a conversation I have that starts with, “Did you know…? We love telling that story.”

This because the Pub Mania story is an exciting one.

Inspired by Laconia Athletic & Swim Club’s Cycle Mania, Patrick’s Co-Owner Allan Beetle first imagined the innovative, 24-hour barstool challenge nine years ago as a fundraiser for the Children’s Auction. A major community event held every December for over 33 years, the Children’s Auction provides grants to local nonprofits that help meet children’s basic needs and provide services and initiatives that improve their lives.

Fundraising by Pub Mania’s 33 teams is ongoing all year, bolstered by the Shuffle, which Patrick’s launched in the fall of 2013 to bring more fun and healthy competition into the mix and to keep the Pub Mania conversation going all year long.

Flaherty said everyone does the Shuffle differently. Some people make the $10 required donation and walk the two-plus-mile course that begins at Patrick’s, heads to the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion, and winds back. Others run. And some people simply take their raffle and complimentary drink tickets into Patrick’s to have a drink and check out the menu and the specials.

“People can get what they want out of it,” Flaherty said, noting that after Beetle has biked the course and made sure everyone made it back safely, Shufflers have their cocktail, usually with apps or dinner, and hope to win a Patrick’s Frisbee or sweatshirt in the raffle. “They give away good stuff.”

Pub Mania teams have fun competing in the Shuffle over how much money they are raising and how many team members show up to take part—just as they do in the 24-hour event.

Flaherty said her job as Shuffle ticket master is an easy one, but she does have to pay attention. “I have to give out three raffle tickets and one drink ticket to each person—and not the other way around,” she jokes.

The Shuffle has been around long enough, Flaherty said, that it’s become a tradition for many. “It gives people in the community a chance to connect with one another while exercising and raising money to help people in need at the same time,” she said, adding, “I’ve learned from Jennifer and Allan that fundraising can be a lot of fun. It doesn’t feel like work.”

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Before an audience of roughly 300 individuals served, their families, staff, board members, volunteers and donors, Executive Director Barbara Pilarcik proudly offered up multiple awards for individuals served in Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin counties. Achievements noted ranged from dedication in tackling volunteer work to accepting new challenges and life transitions with courage.

Pilarcik also presented achievement and anniversary awards to agency programs at the June 16 event at the Log Cabin in Holyoke, and she highlighted outstanding staff contributions and overall agency successes in the past year.

In addition to other accomplishments, Pilarcik highlighted that the agency:

• Held its first-ever Leadership Institute, providing high-quality management training to 20 emerging leaders at the agency.
• Partnered with Baystate Health to present “Crash Reel” to over 200 community members.  “Crash Reel” is a documentary that tells the story of a New England family and their son, an Olympic ski boarder who is recovering from a horrific head injury.
• Produced an original play, “Once Upon a Bog,” involving more than 30 teens and adults from the Whole Children and Milestones programs to a sold-out audience.
• Opened a new, fully accessible Residential Services home on Meadow Street in Agawam.

“These are just some of the highlights we have experienced,” Pilarcik said. “They don’t begin to capture the many acts of kindness that occur daily at The Association for Community Living.”

Pilarcik also held a moment of silence for 14 friends of The Association who died in the past year.

“They say that you meet the people you are supposed to meet on the path of your life,” Pilarcik said. “We are indeed fortunate that we were able to have the benefit of traveling with each one of these dearly beloved ones.”

Pilarcik presented the following achievement awards to individuals throughout western Mass. who are served by the agency:

In Hampden County:

Ellen Auchter of Westfield, for courage in beginning a new day program last September while also battling a medical condition.  “Since starting the new program, Ellen enjoys many more activities, such as listening to music, joining in an arts and crafts class and reading magazines,” Pilarcik said. “She continues to maintain her positive spirit and is working hard to get back to activities with her friends.”

Mary Jane Cleveland of Westfield, for facing with a positive attitude a very serious health challenge that required surgery and extended treatments and for triumphing over a move to a supported living environment at the same time. “Her energy at times seemed never-ending, no matter what her day had been like,” Pilarcik said. “Her physicians said this had much to do with her subsequent successful recovery.”

Linda Hardick of Westfield, for volunteering in the garden at her home and assisting staff in washing, peeling and preparing vegetables in healthy meals such as eggplant parmesan, tossed salads and tomato basil salad.  “Linda is waiting eagerly for the first ripe vegetables to be ready to pick and eat this year,” Pilarcik said.

Darlene Kalich of Westfield, for accepting a move from her home with a care provider back into a residential setting. “Darlene surprised everyone, most of all herself,” Pilarcik said, noting that Kalich began to work on walking independently, lost weight and took part in several day trips. “With continued determination, we know that Darlene will reach her goal of walking on her own, with just her walker to assist her,” Pilarcik said.

Nancy Rich of Monson, for courage and strength in accepting her new home and family at McCray Circle. “Nancy has blossomed.  Now we see her wonderful sense of humor, and she loves to laugh,” Pilarcik said. “She now says, ‘I’m at home.’ ” 

Carmelina “Lina” Durocher, 11, of Springfield, for acting on her passion for creating art, producing beautiful paintings for her family and selling her work at fairs, conferences and other community events.  “Lina is learning money management, customer service and using socially appropriate behavior,” Pilarcik said. “She has also learned that hard work pays off.”

Elizabeth “Betsy” Sullivan of Westfield, for battling a serious medical condition and following “doctors’ orders.” “Elizabeth, you are a strong woman, and we congratulate you on your determination to be healthy,” Pilarcik said.

Charis Barrett of Springfield, for managing her emotions and her impulses.  “Charis has learned to maintain her composure and can verbalize her disappointments,” Pilarcik said. “In addition to this emotional growth, she was also able to lose 40 pounds.  She was able to achieve her dream and went on an overnight vacation to Disneyworld.”

In Hampshire County:

Gerry Theriault of Easthampton, for determination and self-improvement efforts that led to a move from Amherst, the lowering of his utility bills and getting a dog for company. “This move has shown how hard Gerry worked to become the person that he is today,” Pilarcik said.

In Franklin County:

Donald “Donny” Frederick of Buckland, for accepting new social challenges and taking part in a recreational program known as All Out Adventures.  “Donald thoroughly enjoys discovering new things, and he has found out that he loves the outdoors,” Pilarcik said.

William “Bill” Quigley of Buckland, for volunteering at the Salvation Army, cleaning up local parks and planting flowers at Buckland Town Hall. “We are very proud of you, Bill, and the dedication you have shown to making the Buckland community a better place to live,” Pilarcik said.

These other awards were also presented to community members, care providers and agency staff:

The Nancy Patridge Direct Support Professional Award to Suhaiylah Abdul-Hakim of Springfield, a direct support professional at the Agawam residence, for dedication to her work.

The Michel Reberkenny Supervisor Award to Kathleen Salois of Wilbraham, vice president of Human Resources, for embodying the characteristics of a good leader and creating a high-performing human resources team that has a lot of fun.

The Robert V. Agoglia Community Living Award to Peter McLean of Florence, The Association’s training coordinator, for optimism and exuberance in his work; and Halley Philips of Ashford, Conn., an artist, for her good work in directing the agency’s Saturday Expressive Art Classes. 

The Paul D’Amato Volunteer Award to Susan Hurt of Wilbraham, Chair of the Development Committee, a member of the Personnel Committee, the Board of Directors, the Executive Committee and now, the first vice-president of the Board.  “Susan is an exceptional person. She has a genuine interest in our employees and in the individuals we serve,” Pilarcik said.

The Charles E. Veith Community Service Award, to Don Poulin of Smith Brothers Insurance in Easthampton for his thorough work with the agency’s Human Resources team; David Hastings, chief of the Gill Police Department, Gene Beaubien, Gill Fire Chief; Doug Edson, Chairman Gill Board of Health; and Ray Purdington, E-911 Coordinator, Town of Gill for all their help, above and beyond, with ensuring residents safety and their courtesy to residents and staff in two residential home programs in Gill.

The Care Provider Recognition Award, to Anne Marie Corrieri and John Perrin, both of Wilbraham, care providers for the agency’s Specialized Home Care division, for “truly exemplifying the spirit of shared living.”

Special Recognition Award to Crawford Lincoln of Enfield, Conn., and Marie Stebbins of Longmeadow, volunteers and corporators of the agency who helped raise a total of $4.24 million in unrestricted funds over 15 years; Stebbins was married to the late Richard Stebbins, a beloved civic leader and highly accomplished banking executive.   

The Sally Barnhart Award, presented to James Foard, Jr. of Longmeadow for his service as president of the Board of Directors for the past two years. Foard joined the board in 2007 and serves as first vice president of Keady Foard Montemagni Wealth Management Group. He led the agency’s Development Committee and consistently supports all the agency fundraising efforts, raising approximately $450,000 each year.

Pilarcik also recognized these agency programs celebrating milestone anniversaries this year: Whole Children, five years; Family Empowerment, 20 years; and Valley Tees, 20 years.

For more information about the services and programs of The Association for Community Living, visit www.theassociationinc.org.

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