White elephant sales raise $368 for Admin Fund -- 2nd best auction ever

The long-awaited 17th Annual White Elephant Sale took place Thursday at Kiwanis with the eager wild guy Vinny Mirizio at the podium as the auctioneer, fetching bids in rapid-fire order.  Vinny ad-libbed funny lines with every new item pulled off the table.

 

Thirty-four packages, bags or openly displayed items went onto the auction block and when all purchases were tallied, the club Administrative Account was flush with $368 from unofficial tallies.  That just missed by $6 as the all-time record set in 2006.  The 2006 auction raised $374.

 

The years and their tallies:  2012, $368; 2011, $303; 2009, $183; 2008, $220; 2007, $289; 2006, $374; 2005, $214.50; 2004, $177; 2003, $242; 2002, $122.50; 2001, $152; 2000, $122.50; 1999, $68.50; 1998 – No sale; 1997, $87; 1996, $115.

 

The biggest amount paid was $21 by Vinny for a bottle of liquor or wine (not sure).  Judy Aldrich paid $20 for a glass margarita party set. Most items sold in the $7 to $15 range.  Most bidding started at $5.

 

All but a few items were visible to bidders so it was almost always a shot in the dark with the bidding, although Vinny gave insights and Vanna White (no, Sharon Kausal) sometimes gave hints as she carried the mystery items around the room.

 

Jayne Lewis paid $10 for a Happy Hanukkah set and $10 for some fragrances. Ed Baker was delighted to pay $13 for a ceramic clown-grasping-a big-fish musical box that one member had purchased in the auction about 8 years ago and decided to recycle.  Mike Cryer shucked out $10 for a book about Cleveland Browns' legendary coach Paul Brown who reinvented pro football.  Joe Schmoker gave up $10 for a box of incense.  Emma Gully paid $12 for an automatic bread slicing system.  Mike DiDomenico paid $8 for a bag of burnt peanuts and a $15 Trader Joe's gift card. Ralph Lingerfelt gave $6 for a Charley Brown Christmas tree that he gave to Emma.  Sharon Kausal gave $15 for a flowery box of French and Italian soaps, but gave $12 for what turned out to be just TNT Pop-Its. Kathy Berzins gave $15 for body wash. Jane Thomas surrendered $15 for a bad dog calendar.  Lawn Griffiths gave $7 for pink floor-cleaning slippers. Two footballs signed by former ASU quarterback Jeff Van Raphorst sold for $10 each, with Linda Wegener snagging one of them.

 

Thanks to everyone who purchased items and those who invested first in securing them and wrapping them.  It was a fun frolic. Thanks to Vinny and Sharon for handling the event.  If somehow you have not paid treasurer Linda Spears for your items, please do so.