"The AZ Insider" with Kathy Shayna Shocket: Get the inside scoop on Arizona's social scene and celebrity news.
This week: Auction oops? Some behind the scenes tails...
There are a couple of “you have to hear this” anecdotes from behind the scenes of the Crisis Nursery benefit of 400 partygoers. Or as our kids say and text – “OMG- Oh my God.”
In addition to some of the committee’s successfully innovative fundraising twists and how they were able in this economy to accumulate over 500 auction items and gift certificates – (and that’s 100 more auction items than they had for last year’s event)- -- in addition to that--- there’s the “behind the scenes” story of how the pug in the live auction got its new home.
When committee members Diana Lents and Heidi Ferraro- were looking for a dog for the live auction they wanted a breed which would embrace the theme of the party -the Chinese New Year. So they found a local reputable pug breeder and bought a cuddly puppy.. one which would win over hundreds of guests at the party. Especially the ones who were seriously considering taking it home. Committee member Tiffany Levas outbid others when the bid got to $7,500. BUT, in all the excitement, she thought the auctioneer was saying $2,500 and didn’t realize her mistake until she heard the “SOOO..O..LD for $7,500.” If you’ve been in the middle of the energetic flurry of bidding you know how that can happen.
The committee negotiated a lower price. Meanwhile, dinner guests Jon and Karla Shank, who had no idea of the auction oops, had been trying to get over their disappointed- “we had really wanted the dog,” says John who set out to find Tiffany and convince her to let him buy the puppy. Fast forward to the conversation between Jon and Tiffany and low and behold... Tiffany had been wondering how she was going to explain the dog to her husband. So a happy ending for all. Tiffany donated $500 for the dog and John and donated the $2,000. And the puppy – they named Valentina – was a great Valentine’s Day gift for their 3 children and the entire family. Below is a photo of the happy Shank family with Valentina.
Amidst the other auction items at the fete chaired by Kathi Neal, the ballroom at the Sheraton decorated in red –and kids and teen volunteers dressed in red kimono satin style dresses- was the Year of the Child wheel. For $50 a spin, every guest who took a chance won something. There was a gift certificate to different restaurants, spas, etc. in EVERY envelope. “It was so popular that people were in line all night long,” says Celeste Dickman, Vice Chair of the event. What a fun idea to raise some extra dollars.
Not to mention the Chinese change purses the committee bought and filled with gift certificates. For $40 each, every change purse also held a gift certificate.
Within the win-win successful auction and gift certificates and the great networking job on the part of committee members including silent auction chair Darlene Richert and her committee is the net raised - $400,000 with 400 guests. That’s very very impressive.
Proceeds benefit the 30 year old Crisis Nursery – it’s Children’s Shelters which provides a safe haven and help for children and families threatened with child abuse, neglect or homelessness and Crisis Nursery’s support programs.
Kathy Shayna Shocket is a Phoenix based writer. If you have a good item for The AZ Insider, you can email her at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
