36th Auction lives up to ‘charity,’ benefitting Knoxville Habitat for Humanity
The 36th gathering, which featured a silent and live auction and dinner, is the “longest-standing event of our Chamber’s history,” FWKCC president/CEO Julie Blaylock said. “This event is a massive undertaking, as I am sure you can imagine.
“The Auction … has been a staple event for this Chamber since we started in 1987,” she added. “It allows our Chamber to continue to support and expand programs, like our continuing education grants that’s giving money back to businesses; to expand other benefits at minimal to no cost to the businesses we support; and also to keep access to our Chamber and benefits to even the smallest start-up because every business is critical to the health of the economy and our region.
“Perhaps, importantly, this event for many, many years, allows us to give back to a member non-profit (organization).”
This year’s non-profit beneficiary is Knoxville Habitat for Humanity.
“We are proud to donate 20 percent of items sales and 20 percent of net operating proceeds to Knoxville Habitat for Humanity,” she said. Additionally, the final live auction item was donated at 100 percent to Habitat.
“Tonight, I want to thank you for the 300-plus people here,” the president/CEO added.
Blaylock acknowledged the support of the event’s sponsors, such as TDS Telecom, Window Depot of Knoxville, Town of Farragut, Knox County government and Cyan Insurance among others; the Chamber’s event committee, board of directors and FWKCC staff.
To the event committee, Blaylock said, “You all broke our ticket budget and you raised over $42,000 worth of (auction) items.”
Along with the live auction emceed by auctioneer Phillip Hopper, executive vice president of real estate for Powell Auction & Realty, the event also featured bling sponsor, Rick Terry Jewelry Designs, which donated 100 sterling silver earrings, which were each sold for $20 as a fundraiser. In one of those boxes of earrings, attendee Sara Pinkerton discovered a pair of 2.0 total karat $2,000 diamond and white gold earrings, which the Terry’s also donated.
The final live auction item, which raised $800 for Habitat from former Knox County mayor Mike Ragsdale, now Tennessee Strategies president, was a barbecue donated by Farragut Mayor Ron Williams and Knox County Commissioner Larsen Jay. Williams and Jay grilled the dinner and provided the entertainment for 10 guests.
