For those of you that missed the First Annual CMAP Auction
televised live on Channel 20, you missed a wild time.
For those of you that missed the First Annual CMAP Auction televised live on Channel 20, you missed a wild time.
We raised $4,500 auctioning off nearly 100 items, live on the air, from 6 to 9 p.m. on May 22 and 23.
For myself and a variety of co-hosts, it was a challenge being that we had to get rid of 15 items an hour between our in-studio bidders and those calling in from their homes to bid.
We managed to do so, and our bidders got some great bargains, as I suspected they would.
I’d like to thank the multitude of volunteers who helped us put on this event.
It’s generally a monstrous task putting on a fund-raiser, but televising the event on top of it brings the volunteer need to a whole new level.
Many thanks to our trained CMAP volunteers who ran cameras, audio, graphics, and floor managed: Sarah Apodaca, Mark Blanchard, Jacqui Carrasco, Mark Collins, David DiDenti, Julie Guerrero, Patrick Glynn, Morgan Lampa, Bruce Lee, the Marks family, Dennis McKinnon, the Richburgs, the Rideouts, Caleb Sims, Cynthia Stagner, Larry Talbot, Bob Vasquez, Randall Vogel, and I’m sure several other folks that pitched in who I’m missing.
Another aspect of the auction I particularly enjoyed was involving other local nonprofits in the process.
Members of Friends of the Library in San Benito County, St. Joseph’s Family Center, and San Benito County Substance Abuse were our phone bank operators throughout the weekend.
In between phone bids, we got to hear about what these nonprofits have been up to, and what sorts of services they provide the community.
Many thanks to David Cox, Ruth Erickson and Marc Narasaki for organizing their panels.
A big thanks to CMAP Board Member Val Jeffery who trained the phone bank operators and kept everyone at the table sane!
Kudos to our big sponsors as well: The Gilroy Dispatch and The James Group, for helping us get the word out to potential viewers and support the cause of community television.
Finally, a big thank you to the five co-hosts who got their 15 minutes (actually, it was a full 60 or so!) at the auction, enthusiastically pitching our items on the air: Kirsten Carr, Craig Gartman, Pete Keesling, Theresa Kiernan, and Julianne Palma. All of these folks should have their own show at CMAP, if you ask me. Naturals, I tell ya.
The plan is to produce another one of these auctions next May, so if you’re interested in getting involved as a host, bidder, donor or phone bank operator, give us a buzz. The planning for next year has already begun!
