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06/29/2020 12:00 AMGolf with the first selectman, a tandem sky dive, and brunch with a view of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade are just a few of the items that are up for bid in an online auction to raise funds for Old Saybrook businesses and non-profits affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sponsored by the Old Saybrook Chamber of Commerce, the auction will take place over a three-week period beginning on June 25 and ending on Thursday, July 16.
The chamber is in the process of soliciting, collecting, and posting items on the auction website. Bidding began when the site goes live on June 25, and additional items will be added as they come in, according to Executive Director Judy Sullivan.
“If somebody comes up with a great idea, we’re not going to turn them away,” Sullivan said. “There’ll just be less time to bid on it.
“This is not only a way to raise funds for our businesses and non-profits,” she continued. “It helps businesses to gain a little exposure, too.”
From March 23 through May 8, the chamber raised money for restaurants through its Great Takeout Giveaway. Customers took photos of their take-out receipts from Saybrook restaurants and submitted them to the chamber; each day, a drawing was held for a $100 gift card for a local restaurant.
The auction focuses on businesses other than restaurants, as well as non-profits. To qualify, the applicant must be located in Old Saybrook, have fewer than 50 employees, and must have been in business as of Feb. 15. Funds will be evenly distributed among all approved applicants.
At press time, the auction website was populated with 20 items, listing the starting bid and the monetary value of each. Most were experiences, such as a coastal Maine getaway for two, a guitar lesson, and month of jazzercize classes.
“We have some interesting items from our artists, since we had to cancel the arts and crafts show,” Sullivan said. “There’s jewelry and handcrafted items coming from our exhibitors.
“People want to help and whether they want to help with a donation or a bid on an item, it’s evident that they really want our businesses to be there at the end of it,” Sullivan said.
More information may be found at the chamber’s website www.oldsaybrookchamber.com.