This year, for the first time in its twelve-year history of raising funds for Rotary International’s END POLIO NOW campaign, the Rotary Club of Coronado will move its annual Silent Auction to an online platform. And, more good news, it’s free and open to the public.
The END POLIO NOW Silent Auction will feature dozens of Coronado restaurants and stores – with many of the gift certificates to the establishments purchased or donated by club members, “The merchants and restaurants benefit, the END POLIO NOW campaign benefits, and the winning bidder scores!” said the event’s co-chair Sue Maack, who praised club member Jerry Winter in particular, who purchased thousands of dollars in gift certificates from local restaurants and several of the island’s favorite retail shops.
The Silent Auction opens to the public on Thursday, September. 17. To place a bid, click here. Rotarian Christine Stokes, who is also executive director of the Coronado Historical Association, created the Rotary auction site, utilizing BiddingOwl.com.
The Silent Auction will also include a preview of items from Rotary’s Live Auction, which will take place as part of the September 25 “Come Away to the Paso Robles Wine Country” wine-tasting webinar. Tickets to that event are also open to the public. Ticket prices are $95 – all proceeds, which are entirely tax-deductible, go to the END POLIO NOW campaign and will be matched two-to-one by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Therefore, a $95 ticket becomes a $285 contribution to the worldwide effort. Tickets to the webinar and Live Auction are offered to everyone, not just club members, at coronadorotary.org.
The webinar will feature three pioneering winemakers of the Paso Robles region: Gary Eberle of Eberle Winery, Austin Hope of Home Family Wines and Janell Dusi of J Dusi Winery. Among the live auction prizes is a three-day getaway to Paso Robles, with a stay at the luxurious SummerWood Inn, wine tasting at four wineries, dining at Thomas Hill Organics restaurant, and a visit to the nighttime “Field of Lights” at Sensorio. Another is the creation of a “Heritage Video,” documenting a family’s history, by Rotarian Ray Karno.