United Way planning a monster auction in 2018

It will be the biggest auction ever in Prescott-Russell!

Denis Vaillancourt, president of Centraide-United Way Prescott-Russell (CUWPR), and Jean-Marc Lalonde, co-president for the current campaign season, are starting off 2018 with meets-and-greets with local councils and other groups. These initiatives are part of an advance promotion for this year’s major fundraiser event for the nonprofit agency.

“We are doing a monster auction,” Lalonde told Prescott-Russell mayors during a January 10 meeting with the United Counties of Prescott-Russell council. A date has not yet been set for the two-day event.

Delegations from the CUWPR are cur- rently going around the region on an information campaign, in advance of forming a steering committee featuring representation from the CUWPR, municipalities, and other groups. The steering committee will help guide planning of the event.

“I like the concept of a monster auction,” said Mayor Pierre Leroux of Russell Township. He added that it offers municipalities and others a way to clear out inventory of old but-still-useable equipment, and at the same time support a non-profit community group.

Hawkesbury Mayor Jeanne Charlebois asked whether the auction would be limited to actual physical items like equipment, or if municipalities or businesses could offer credit vouchers for such things as arena ice time or other services for bid. Vaillancourt said it was something for the steering committee to consider.

“I don’t rule it out,” Vaillancourt said during an interview. “Anybody who wanted to contribute something (useful) to the auction could do that.”

Vaillancourt noted that the goal is to raise about $50,000 as part of this year’s overall fundraising campaign for the CUWPR. Revenue from the fundraising campaign is later shared out to support community groups, programs, and services in the Prescott-Russell region. Denis Vaillancourt (à l’avant), président de Centraide/United Way-Prescott-Russell (CUWPR), et Jean-Marc Lalonde, coprésident de la campagne de financement CUWPR, rencontrent les conseils municipaux pour expliquer le plan à but non lucratif de l’agence d’organiser une vente aux enchères de deux jours, dans le cadre de sa campagne de financement 2018. Tous les profits de la vente aux enchères serviront à soutenir les organismes de bienfaisance locaux, les sports pour les jeunes et d’autres programmes et projets dans la région de Prescott-Russell.