AUCTION
One of the highlights of the year is our annual UUCC Auction. We start planning months ahead of time, and the congregation donates over
200 items to be auctioned off. As Auction night approaches, everyone
is starting to plan the strategy for getting the items they want.
The Silent Auction begins the evening, and over the 90 minutes that
it's in progress, the bidding gets more and more exciting. Some of the most-sought-after items are the dinners and events that our
members sponsor. Most of them have a theme, and they've become a
tradition, so we know they'll be great fun. And the best part about
them is they give our congregation opportunities to get together in
small groups all throughout the year.
The Live Auction offers things like vacation trips, custom furniture,
reserved parking spaces, and choice of sermons. Our two auctioneers
create an atmosphere of fun, so we really enjoy spending our money!
The Almost Anything Goes Auction Information for 2008
Kandy's Korner of Auction Action
January 2008
While the Auction night festivities were still fresh in everyone’s minds and the ink
was barely dry on all the winning bid reports; the first event of the new season took
place. The event, billed as: "The Reverend’s Party with ‘The Dirty Dozen’"; was
on! On a cool Wednesday evening, in December, the 6 lucky winners (Rev. Alane
fondly referred to as ‘her flock’) converged on 17th & Cary St., down in "the
Bottom", outside of the "The CANAL CLUB". We all met to enjoy a night of relaxed conversation, music, drinks and the wonderful company of friends. It only
got better as we continued on upstairs for the great modern New Orleans brass band
jazz sounds of the ‘DIRTY DOZEN’.…a great time was had by all and it left us
eagerly anticipating all the future UUCC Auction events, scheduled throughout the
upcoming year.
OUR THANKS TO REVEREND ALANE FOR HOSTING A FANTASTIC EVENT!
Also, this month, Bobbie hosted an Italian dinner feast (see recap and recipe below) and Porter helped four UUCC friends wrap up their holiday wrapping with beautiful bows and ribbons, almost too
pretty to open. I’d love to hear about some of your Auction Enterprises. If there is any event(s) you really want
to participate in; there may be possible openings available…Look for announcements or listings in the bulletins,
emails, & newsletters of any possible available openings.
February 2008
It has been another busy month for Auction events. Tiffany had some surprising UUCCer's dancing the
Salsa. I won't reveal names, for fear that "Dancing With the Stars" will be knocking on their door. While some
were dancing, others were "Tying One On" with Deena and Colin, at their annual Taiwan Dinner
party. The soup was richly flavorful without being too spicy. Fortune cookie fortunes were read aloud,
followed by the traditional, "......at UUCC". One lucky diner will "experience great wealth and riches....at
UUCC". Coming up this month will be Scott Meardon's Poker Night. This writer knew better than to bid on
that one. My poker skills would be equivalent to "giving away my money", so, I would prefer to donate it for
good use, directly to UUCC. Some Auction participants will be playing Mexican Dominoes with Renee,
some will be enjoying a Mexican Dinner with Rita and John and others will be relaxing with Porter and Mac
at their TGIF. When Jeannie and Susan host their 1970's Fondue Flashback, I wonder who
will have the grooviest bell bottoms or heaviest medallion necklace. May we ALL experience great social and
spiritual wealth and riches.....at UUCC.
March 2008
It has been an extremely busy month for Auction events and dinners. Kathy and Kathy seem to be setting a record for three
events in two days. From stories at coffee hour, we have potential for a UUCC Battle of the Gumbo between Peter and Sharon's
Mardi Gras Dinner and Deb & Jen’s Seafood Dinner with Zydeco. Both got mouth watering reviews, even a
bit of eye watering with the spicy flavors. It was unanimous that Scott was an excellent host for Poker Night
which included many laughs, many stories (some of them true!) some bad bets and some juicy wins. Scott even attempted
his wife, Karen’s, recipe for toasted cheesy sausage munchies with successful results. Jeanie and Susan are
some experienced, dedicated “Fonduers” with Tee shirts to prove it. From cheese hor devours to chocolate dessert, it was
so much fun and adventurous to mix and match sauces. Since it was the 60’s Flashback, there were tye dyed shirts, bell
bottoms and some looong hair. When Porter planned her TGIF evening for folks to relax and unwind, I bet
she didn’t realize that people would enjoy themselves so much, that they stayed into the night. Hope you hadn’t planned to
go to bed early, Porter. There were two New Orleans (pronounce it correctly!) dinners and there were two Mexican events.
Who knew that Mexican Dominoes included twelve dots? Renee and Wendy introduced some of us to a
fun, new table game. And, who knew that Rita was such a fantastic Mexican chef? What a team, with John mixing up Margaritas. For the sixth year in a row, Ali and Ryan outdid themselves with a Cheezy
Valentine Brunch. They offered some of the best stinky cheese, this side of the Atlantic. Despite a construction dumpster
in her yard, Deena provided a rollicking Girl’s Night Out that spanned three generations. You had to be there to
appreciate who was Dreamy and Funky, who was Swift and Neat, who was Misunderstood and Lazy and who lost their
Green Card. We discovered that Duct Tape and Power Tools are almost always good answers.
This busy month of auction events was topped off by Rev. Alane’s “sermon for sale” purchased by Andrea. What
better topic for the auction or for life in general, “Be Nice, Have Fun”! Thank you to each of these marvelous UUCC hosts
that welcomed us into their homes and provided fun and fellowship of all varieties.
It is not too late to get in on the fun. Sam welcomes more happy campers to the Campfire and Cookout at the UUCC
Firepit, on March 29. Talk to Porter and Mac about availabilities for the next TGIF evening to relax and laugh
with UUCC friends. Have Fun!
April 2008
It has been another busy month for UUCC Auction events. Nancy and Gene provided a Prime Rib Dinner that
was “exquisite”. It was said that there is no other place, this side of the Atlantic, that you can get such fresh, authentic
Yorkshire pudding. The Crab Cake Dinner, by Lewis, was well orchestrated and overflowing with fresh crab.
The only thing that could possibly compete with the delicious crab was the Kir Royale drinks. This dinner even had a
visitor in-abstention, from California. Christine called, wishing she could enjoy the good food and fine company. Sara and Lisa led three cars full of hikers into Nelson County to Fortune’s Cove Preserve, a Nature Conservancy.
The 4 mile hike was over a hill if you are from western Virginia, but a mountain if you are from eastern Virginia. Either
version, it was good fun, good food and particularly good weather. We can always count on Porter and Mac to
host a relaxing, refreshing TGIF for good fellowship on Friday, among UUCCer’s.
May 2008
Two recent Auction events created lots of socializing opportunities. The TGIF Happy Hour with Porter and Macwas really several happy hours. Some of the newer UUCCers learned a little bit of our church
history from some more seasoned UUCCers. Several "mystery partners" of some UUCC regulars came to enjoy the
company. Sam and Bonnie hosted a marvelous Campfire and Cookout at the UUCC firepit, on
"the back forty". Kids and grownups alike enjoyed the delicious food, complete with So'Mores and Sam's, now
famous, hot chocolate. Alice entertained with her guitar and camp fire songs. The cool
weather made the fire toasty warm, along with the friends and company. I know at least one camper had so much fun,
he had to be carried home by his big sister. For an upcoming evening of frolicking fun, be sure to attend the UUCC
Prom night, "Funky to Formal" on May 3rd. Expect anything from ballroom dancing to disco divas. I'm going to hem my funky formal, now.
June 2008
There were two auction events in May. On the evening of Saturday, May 17th, the place to be was the tapas dinner at Mark and Diane's. About a dozen attendees enjoyed a wide variety of Spanish foods and drink from traditional tapas fare such as tortilla española, olives, gambas al ajillo (shrimp in garlic sauce), albóndigas al andaluz (Andalusian style meatballs) and jamón serrano to heartier dishes such as Asturian fabada and lamb stew. Now that your appetite is whetted, plan on bidding on next year’s tapas offering. Who knows what will be on the menu!
Also on May 17th, Deb and Jenn paddled their 18-foot Grummon canoe with Elaine Kiziah and Bob Hoover, winners of the canoe trip with gourmet lunch, aboard. It was a perfect day. Lunch was served on an island in the James and was accompanied by a bottle of champagne. Make sure you bid on this auction item this year.
There is still space for YOU at Peter’s Porch and Patio Pub, where everybody knows your name and “everybody” will be there. It is the evening of June 14th and Peter or Sharon can give you directions. Come, enjoy a casual summer evening on the patio.
July 2008
The big auction event of the season was Peter’s Porch and Patio Pub, hosted by Peter and Sharon where everybody knows your name. There were lots of folks there and I have to admit that
there were a few names that I did not know, but was eager to learn. I’m sure that Peter knew them
all, by the end of the evening. The garden was lovely with the tiki lights and the rain cooperated for
the evening. Thank you, Sharon and Peter.
Brian offered a make up lesson around the pool table. There was lots of fun vocabulary to
learn like thick shots or thin shots, aiming for the ghost ball, a rail bridge which has nothing to do
with a rail road trestle, what it means to “kiss the ball” and Brian’s lovely wife Rebecca, plays with a
ball in hand handicap. Who knew?
There is still an opportunity to get in on another fun auction event. The Pool-A-Palooza is a
swimming pool party and cook out on Saturday, August 23rd at high noon. See Stacie for
specifics and details. It was great fun last year and very family friendly. A chicken in her yard
thought my red toe nail polish was a strawberry and tried to peck at my toes. I still have all ten toes
and a funny story to tell.
August 2008
The big auction event of the season was Peter’s Porch and Patio Pub, hosted by Peter and Sharon, where
everybody knows your name. There were lots of folks there and I have to admit that there were a few names
that I did not know, but was eager to learn. I’m sure that Peter knew them all, by the end of the evening. The
garden was lovely with the tiki lights and the rain cooperated for the evening. Thank you, Sharon and Peter.
Brian offered a make up lesson around the pool table. There was lots of fun vocabulary to learn like
thick shots or thin shots, aiming for the ghost ball, a rail bridge which has nothing to do with a rail road trestle,
what it means to “kiss the ball” and Brian’s lovely wife Rebecca, plays with a ball in hand handicap. Who
knew?
There is still an opportunity to get in on another fun auction event. The Pool-A-Palooza is a swimming
pool party and cook out on Saturday, August 23rd at high noon. See Stacie for specifics and details.
