October Awareness Month Online Auction
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October is National Niemann-Pick Disease Awareness Month |
Click here to see all the other activities going on for October Awareness Month! |
As you know, the Canadian Chapter of the National Niemann-Pick Disease Foundation (CCNNPDF) works hand-in-hand with the National Niemann-Pick Disease Foundation (NNPDF, U.S.) to raise funds for research and provide valued support services for families affected by Niemann-Pick Disease.
Both the CCNNPDF and the NNPDF are immensely grateful to the many families who sponsor and coordinate fundraisers year after year to benefit the two foundations and advance their important work.
On the other hand, we understand that for some families, the work and time involved in coordinating a fundraiser may seem overwhelming, especially at a time when they are caring for a child with NPD. We know these families still want to support the work of the foundations, and we believe we have landed on a fantastic way all our families can participate in raising money for research and Family Support Services during October, National Niemann-Pick Disease Awareness Month.
Online auctions are growing in popularity and are proving an exciting and effective way for charities to raise much-needed funds. The NNPDF conducted a small online auction last year as a “test balloon,” and now the foundation is gearing up to launch the 2010 NNPDF October Awareness Month Nationwide Online Auction.
To make this auction a success, we need your help!
There are three main ways to help:
- Donate/collect items to auction (More details about what to donate, below)
- Bid on items (Get goodies you like, and donate to your favorite cause at the same time!)
- Spread the word to all your family and friends, so they can bid, too!
The auction isn’t until October, but we need to now gather a list of items that will be available for auction. We will post those items in September for potential bidders to preview, with bidding opening October 1st. (Watch this page for a link when the NNPDF auction page goes live.)
Please think about what you and your family might donate to the auction. Popular auction items include handmade crafts and gifts, gift cards to nationwide retailers or service providers (restaurants, department stores, home improvement stores, hotels, bookstores, carpet cleaning, etc.), sports memorabilia, collectors’ items, vacation packages, tickets to sporting or theater events, jewelry, artwork, tools, etc.
(Please, no glass or fragile items that may be damaged in shipping, no alcohol or firearms, and nothing that cannot be shipped or for which shipping costs would be prohibitive.) (Shipping costs will be the responsibility of the buyer, unless the item's donor elects to donate shipping costs, as well.)
Special consideration should be given to whether the item can be shipped internationally (Canada to the U.S.), or whether we should designate the item as only available to Canadian bidders.
Auction to Feature Themed Baskets
One special feature of the auction will be state-themed “baskets,” or “collections,” with items unique to a state or region.
Examples might be non-perishable food items representative of a state or region, regional-flavor clothing or jewelry, professional or college sports memorabilia or tickets, souvenir/collectors’ items, etc.
NNPDF families are being asked to gather donations for these baskets, and for individual auction items. Items may be donated by the individual/family, or donations may be solicited from area businesses. Donations may be designated as "in honor of" or "in memory of" someone.
How to donate
Please do not send auction items to the NNPDF; items will be shipped directly from the donor to the winning bidder at the close of the auction, with the buyer responsible for the cost of shipping. (Donors may choose to cover the cost of shipping, particularly for small or lightweight items which cost little to ship.)
We do ask that you let us know as soon as possible what item(s) you are planning to donate, with a complete description of the item (colors, dimensions, retail value, condition, etc.) and a photo (jpg preferred) so we can begin developing our auction page.
Please send item descriptions and photos to NNPDF Board Member and Development Committee Co-Chair Ryan Kelly. Please complete this Donation Form (See Donation Form for Ryan's contact information.)
Help Spread the Word!
We will begin posting auction items to our NNPDF Bidding for Good page starting in September so bidders can start “window shopping” prior to the auction’s opening October 1st. At that time, once our auction site is up, we will ask all our CCNNPDF and NNPDF member families to “broadcast” the link to all their families, friends, and contacts, asking them to take a look at the auction and to bid on items. (Watch this page for the link when it becomes available.)
The auction will remain open until October 31st, when the highest bidder for each item will make payment for their purchases, and their items will be shipped to them by the item's donor. (Buyers will be responsible for the cost of shipping. Payment for items will be handled online through Bidding for Good and the NNPDF.)
Catch Auction Fever!
Not only are online auctions a wonderful way to raise money for essential research and important family support services, they are great fun to participate in!
It’s a win-win-win situation – the winning bidder gets a great deal on something they like with the added satisfaction of knowing their money is supporting a favorite cause, the donor has a great feeling knowing their gift will go far to help families affected by NPD, and the NNPDF is able to use the proceeds to diligently advance the Quest for a Cure!
For examples of current auctions raising money for various causes, and to gather more ideas for items to donate, visit our auction host, Bidding for Good, at www.biddingforgood.com. Online auctions through Bidding for Good have raised over $95 million for charitable causes, with over 110,000 active bidders registered!
For more info
Please contact the NNPDF if you have any questions or need further information about how to donate items or how to bid once the auction opens. We can assist you in developing a letter or flyer to solicit donations from businesses in your area, and we can supply supporting documentation (brochures, newsletters, proof of tax-exempt status, etc.) for potential donors such as sports teams, retailers, restaurants, etc. Or you can customize this letter to use as you solicit donations from community businesses, organizations and individuals.
Visit Bidding for Good to see how online auctions work, and watch this space for a link when our NNPDF auction page goes live.
Thank you in advance for your support of the 2010 NNPDF October Awareness Month Nationwide Online Auction! With your participation, this fundraiser has the potential to raise thousands of dollars for Niemann-Pick Disease research and family support services.
Start collecting your auction items now, and get ready to bid high, bid often!
October is National Niemann-Pick Disease Awareness Month |
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Check out the many ways our NNPDF families got involved with
October Niemann-Pick Disease Awareness Month last year!