Boys & Girls Club of Stamford hosting silent auction
The Stamford chapter of the Boys & Girls Club of America is auctioning a signed Taylor Swift guitar and a basketball lesson with Allan Houston at its annual fundraiser this week.
City Chic Reimagined is the Boys & Girls Club of Stamford’s biggest fundraiser of the year and raises funds for the organization’s programming which serves more than 550 children daily, according to a club news release. The national organization hosts financially accessible after-school programs and summer camps for historically underserved youth at its local chapters nationwide.
The 2024 City Chic Auction went live last week and closes late Wednesday. The silent auction, curated by the City Chic Reimagined committee, is open to the public and offers a wide range of items, including jewelry, framed artwork, membership packages and tickets to concerts and sports events.
Among the items is an acoustic guitar signed by Taylor Swift, which has a starting bid price of $6,500. The item, labeled “Taylor Swift Handwritten Autographed Guitar,” was painted and designed by Barley Mow, according to the website. The auction features a framed photograph signed by Swift, starting at $1,300.
People can bid on a one-hour basketball clinic with Allan Houston, a former New York Knicks guard and a two-time NBA All-Star. The lesson has a starting bid price of $1,000 and the clinic will take place at the Boys & Girls Club of Stamford gymnasium, according to the auction website.
Houston has been involved with the Boys and Girls Club of Stamford through his FISLL mentorship program, which aims to strengthen relationships between children and their mentors. FISLL is a social-impact brand founded by the basketball player and stands for Faith, Integrity, Sacrifice, Leadership and Legacy. Houston has lived in the Greenwich area with his family for over two decades, according to the Greenwich Historical Society, which honored Houston at its 2023 History in the Making event in January.
The most expensive item, with a starting price of $15,000, is a vacation at a Tuscan villa, located in the town of Cortona, Italy. The winner will spend seven nights at the villa, which a private chef and six bedrooms.
Other vacation offers include a seven-night stay at three-bedroom home in Bali, which has a personal staff and room for six people. The starting bid price is $6,500.
Starting at $6,000, participants can bid on a private dinner for 12 prepared by the chef of Rao’s. The Italian restaurant in New York City has been described by Forbes as the “single toughest restaurant reservation to get in the United States.”
The auction also offers a framed picture signed by famed baseball catcher, Yogi Berra, and a jersey signed by New York Jets’ Sauce Gardner. Both items have a starting price of $600.
Other items include a tour of the state Capitol led by state Rep. Matt Blumenthal, D-Stamford, or the opportunity to shadow the Stamford police or fire departments for a day.
Bidding closes at 11:55 p.m. Wednesday, according to the auction website.
The ceremony for the 2024 City Chic Reimagined fundraiser is set for the Loading Dock in Stamford on Wednesday at 5 p.m. and members will honor The Ashforth Company and US Chemicals for their support of the organization, according to the release.