Silent Auctions

Our Preschool did a silent Auction and I bought tickets to Fort Worth Museum of Science and History and the Zoo. I also bought a cute Noah's Ark hand made onesie outfit for my 3 year old. You could try kids dress shops. How about Kids Toy Shops-like Designs for Children? Babies R US or Kids R Us, other privately owned toy shops or speciality kids clothing stores.

I would try Creative Memories, Homemade Gourmet, Mary Kay, Southern Living at Home, Arbonne, Pampered Chef, bakery, Central Market, Party City or a party shop, notecard/stationary shop, spas/salons, , restaurants, shoe stores, dress shops/department stores. Grapevine Railway Express Train, TRE, , Water Parks, Botantical Garden, Malls.

That's all I can think of right now, hope this helps you.

Not sure if you will have any luck but I would try some of the companies w/ HQ's in DFW....GameStop, Blockbuster, CompUSA, The Container Store, Radio Shack. Ask the movie & gaming stores if they have a few movies or games they could donate or company brand video gaming peripherals (aka accessories). Try some of the car wash/details shops, like Vintage...maybe they would do a years free car wash (1 or 2 washes/month). Minyards is based out of Coppell. Check your local Starbucks store--I know I've seen them donate for Teacher Appreciation. I hope this gives you some good ideas! Good luck!

I would also try a local professional photographer.

We always hit the moms that do their own stuff, ie. Mary Kay, Arbonne, Pampered Chef, or their own arts projects. It's a great marketing thing for them becuase we leave copies of their card in front of the item. Also usually you have better success if you hit the smaller or boutique places. (The larger places have to go through so many hoops that it's difficulty for them to get) Try your local carwash (We usually get a book of 10), local spa, manicure places. And use your contacts. See who on your PTA group knows someone at ____ and hit them up. I know if you go to one of the big places you are likely to get a NO, but if you know someone who knows someone, frequently you can get things. Also have a letter for all of your PTA members to take with them. They can give the letter to someone in any place of business. We just handed ours out to all the PTA Exec Board today. Now I have a letter to take to all the local eateries and where ever I happen to be. good Luck. I'm busy planning our Fall Festival, so I know the crunch.

what about skating rinks, ice skating, movie theaters, build a bear, libby lu, disney store, putt putt, bowling alleys, things like that?

Some very hot items that we've enjoyed at the school auctions are things like:

Pizza Party for Four with Ms. Whoever - 3rd Grade
Movie Night Basket (get parents to drop individual items off to make a big one)
Manicure with Ms. Whoever -- 4th Grade
Ceramic painted bowl by Ms. Whoever 5th Grade class...

It was really fun and many parents in our PTA contributed. If they had a small business but not something you would auction for... like an insurance sales person... they'd sponsor a basket with their name on it... so buy a Starbucks basket sponsored by Mr. Smith #1 insurance or whatever.

Good luck and remember when you're pulling your hair out that you volunteered for this!

I would love to give a g/c to your auction if I havent missed it!

www.candisno.com

HI K.,
First Best of luck to you with your event. These can be crazy to put together! How about your PTA board sponsoring a dinner for the silent auction. At our church one Sunday School Class does BBQ dinner donation for our auction and it always goes for big bucks. The Sunday School class then all pitches in and does the dinner at a date later in the year. You could have it at the school. Like a BBQ dinner for 12 something like this.
Also baskets of 1.00 store items seems to be a hit for kiddos to bid on. We set up a table just for kids....parents always want to get for their kiddos!
Chick Fila is a great with donations.

One tip...be organized! Make sure your time limit is set and you have a clock specifically set up for this so you don't get well it says 3 on my watch...etc. Have plenty of help to pick up the papers to end the auction. Have a seperate area to gather and section off to give you time to organize the gifts. People will hit you pretty quick wanting to know if they won. Also instead of names use Numbers like at a real bidding auction. Have everyone that plans to bid sign in and give them a number at that time--give them a piece of paper with that number on there...they will forget if you just tell them. Helps you organize and also nobody knows who is bidding
on what! Use computers to help you print out the final talley's. Of course have a calculator on hand. Have committees set up. One for set up, one for overseeing the tables, one for take down, and one for distributing.

Best of luck! You will do great!