What Auction Guests Say
PLEASE NOTE:
During August 2010 and early September, we are transferring videos to a new host. Because of this, most videos will not work. Bear with us, and check back soon!
The testimonials below are from guests attending our galas.
These generous souls (thanks, folks!) were so energized by our auction that they offered to share their opinions. If you want to hear from clients, click here.
The noise is a bit loud on this video, but this guest is so full of vim and vigor, it’s worth watching!
As a side, he and 4 of his brothers donated a wonderful item to the live auction –a Pacific Island Luau for 40 people. Can you imagine how much fun that would be!?
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Kevin is the Metro President for TD Bank. He served as Gala Chair at this fundraiser.
In this clip, he gives a few reasons as to why he thought the fundraiser was so successful.
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This dashing gentleman served as the Corporate Chairperson for this performing arts gala. He frequently attends and contributes to fundraisers in Washington, D.C. and New York, NY.
As a frequent fundraiser attendee, he has some experience in judging what makes for a good benefit auctioneer.
He was a gracious donor and a generous bidder at our event of ~600 guests.
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Maristeve has three cousins who lost a sister to lupus. She was happy to attend The Lupus Foundation of America, Greater Washington Region’s 35th Anniversary Gala to support the group’s good work via shopping in the auction for Christmas presents.
(HINT: Fall is an excellent time to have a charity auction for this reason. Guests have holiday shopping on their minds. Buying items at your event is that much easier because they are fulfilling an individual need while simultaneously supporting your cause.)
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Sometimes it’s hard for me not to react when guests start to speak into the camera. This guest was so passionate in her delivery that I couldn’t help but giggle!
She has some ideas on why this particular fundraiser was so successful.
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A trial lawyer and his wife comment how — despite working with an unruly and loud crowd of ~500 people — I was able to manage the crowd, and do it politely.
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After the auction, a woman asked for my card. While giving her my card, this high-energy guest jumped in front of me and said, “I was laughing SO hard, my SIDES HURT! You are hilarious!”
I said, “Would you mind saying that on camera?”
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One of the auctions I conduct is a church event for a group of young adults age 18 – 30.
They raise money to buy Christmas gifts and basic necessities for needy families in their church who are struggling financially.
Although the sales prices aren’t what I see at other charity auctions, the passion for giving is just as strong. It’s fun to watch their faces as they have this internal struggle, debating as to whether they can afford to give another $5 or $10 for an item. 
Every item starts at $20, and we take it from there.
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Attending so many galas, I see a lot of well-dressed people. Hands down, Carol is one of those top Washington, D.C. fashion plates. I should have taken video of her entire outfit! She just has a way of pulling clothes and accessories together. I wish she’d style me ….
In this clip, she talks about her experiences over the last four years attending the Wine, Women, & Song gala. She talks about some of the items she bought (tickets to Fashion Week … of course!).
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This bubbly gal with a bright smile caught Red Apple Auctions at a foundation gala. She’d read our write-up in The Washington Post and was eager to see us work the stage. We didn’t disappoint her.
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Robert comments on the Red Apple staff, the event, and how well run the evening was. His comment references an important point that few groups take to heart: Events need to follow a clear schedule.
He comments that he always understood what was going on. Although it sounds simple, it’s not easy to do in an auction because the event frequently has many distractions.
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This auction guest is Chair of the Board for a Washington, D.C. charity. She has a special talent for recruiting other women to get involved. (I know this because so many women at the function credited her for their involvement in the charity!)
After the event, she came up to me and said she’d been participating in all of Red Apple’s educational programs where we teach volunteer fundraisers how to maximize their efforts so they can make more money for their chosen charities.
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This church auction is organized and attended by young adults age 18-30. About 1/2 are still attending college, so this isn’t a group you’d expect to see big money flying around the room.
They raise cash to buy Christmas gifts and necessities for needy families in their church.
The crowd numbers ~150. Of the ~34 items I sell in the live auction, most sell in the $50 range. Anything over $100 starts to get interesting. Claps usually break out around $200 and the house comes down when we sell something for $300 and up.
Like many fundraising auctions, the guests are fully committed to giving because they believe in the cause. Consequently, this small group raises $7k – $8k for their cause. Wow!
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After the auction, I was bee-lining to the bathroom. These two stopped me to thank me and say how much they enjoyed the auction.
When they were being videotaped, they even started motioning others to line up as well (you can see at the end).
Both sets of my grandparents have been gone for many, many years, but I’m ready to adopt either one of these women as my new grandmother.
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Queen Bambi not only graciously donated one of the live auction items at this event (“Your chance to unleash your inner queen with Queen Bambi as your mentor…”), but she stopped by our area post-auction to say a few words about the auction team.
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Kim is a senior partner at Korn/Ferry International and sits on the Board of Directors at Girls Inc.’s Washington, D.C. Chapter.
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A businessman from North Carolina attends this school auction to support his grandson. He liked the floor team, and talks about his bidding threshold.
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This gentleman had seen a “volunteer auctioneer” perform at a benefit auction two months ago and “the auction was terrible.” He saw the sale prices go up when this group used Red Apple Auctions.
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This “scene” should look familiar to many of you: a hotel ballroom … about 700 guests … the auction is over and the music is ramping up.
This energetic community leader and Washington, D.C. philanthropist attends and chairs many events in our nation’s capital.
She’s got a feisty and fun personality which starts to show on this clip as she talks about how she became a fan of Red Apple Auctions two years ago.
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What a sweet gal!
Off camera, she told me I had good energy.
I think I like statement best of all.
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These two fun-loving guests stopped by to say they “loved every minute of it.”
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Shawn says she’s been working in fundraising for 15 years.
I’d believe anything she says.
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This guest observed how Red Apple works in the silent auction to earn organizations more money.
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May 2009: Like some attendees who will likely attend your auction, these guests were “given” tickets earlier in the day by their employer, who was a sponsor. They attended this art auction and were excited to bid! I think they actually bought one smaller piece, but they were outbid on a larger one they had hoped to take home.
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Richard was one of several great volunteers helping out at the 35th Anniversary Gala for The Lupus Foundation of America, Greater Washington Region. “I was ready to buy something,” he says, “and I had no money!”
P.S. Never let that stop you…
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These two guests stopped on their way to check-out.
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Our team has worked with this group for two years. They had a nice auction before we met, but it’s really grown into something special.
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These good-natured guests stopped by after the auction to share their appreciation.
(They actually didn’t attend together. At one point, they were bidding against each other!)
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A auction guest stops to say how much fun he had!
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Two “first-timers” to the Camillus House gala in Miami gush about the great time they had at the event.
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One auction guest had a great time and shares her enthusiasm for Red Apple Auctions.
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I briefly met Pamela in the silent auction while we talked about some live auction packages. Then she kindly stopped by after the 35th Anniversary Gala for The Lupus Foundation of America Greater Washington Region to say a few words to the camera.
And although this has nothing to do with anything, doesn’t she have the prettiest curly hair?
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These generous guests explain what they liked about Red Apple Auctions, such as our enthusiasm and how we involved the crowd into the auction.
Even better, they called us the very next day to book us for a non-profit gala in which they sit on the Board. That’s the highest form of a compliment!
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An elegant guest makes some observations about the evening.
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After chatting with this auction guest, I realized that he and his wife donate a lovely Italian dinner to another group whose auction we conduct each spring.
This brings up an important point: Your benefit auction guest is likely attending several other charitable auctions. In essence, your organization is competing for donation dollars with these other groups. This is why it’s important for you to make your auction the best you can. Don’t skimp on key areas and *think* you are saving money because it’s more likely that you’re losing your organization key donations.
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This business owner walked away making a larger contribution than he’d expected.
He took home a top live auction item (a beautiful home in Jamaica for one week) and two sports items, which he’ll hang in his pub.
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March 2009: Mike gives a quick sound bite about benefit auctioneer Sherry Truhlar. “We just love her to death and know you will, too,” he concludes.
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This fun-loving guest talks (just a little) tongue in cheek about his experience at a Red Apple Auctions benefit auction.
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Yadi loved her evening at the Camillus House gala in Miami, FL. Over 300 silent auction items … lots of wine … a great band — and of course, a great live auction … made the event memorable.
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Dave walked up to one of my crew after the auction to thank us for the evening. He was the first people to pop in front of the camera and say a few kind words. Thanks, Dave! And thank you for your support at Wine, Women, & Song.
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One of the co-chairs for this 35th Anniversary Gala (organized by The Lupus Foundation of America, Greater Washington Region) was very kind and stopped by after the auction to thank me.
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Stephanie had attended the event before, but thought this year had a much better benefit auction.
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Kevin talks about the experience he had at his son’s school auction.
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April 2009: This woman makes it short and sweet … “You make it fun for us to bid.”
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I enjoyed speaking with Judith and her husband, but – dang it! – I made the mistake of speaking with her just outside the ballroom doors. WHOOPS! We were still too close to the band speakers so this video is *really* hard to hear.
In short, she attends the Heart gala in Miami, FL and Palm Beach, FL, but really enjoyed this event in particular because the auction was fun.
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I participated in the auction last weekend and just wanted to give you a big thanks for what you have done. I’m not on the committee that organized the event or anything, but I just wanted you to know that you made it so much fun! I was blown out of my seat when you auctioned the first item. You are incredible at getting the audience involved, relaxed, and willing to open their pocket books! I couldn’t help but have the biggest smile the entire event.
Colonial 1st Ward Service Auction (Mount Vernon, VA) – 2007
