With deals galore, the KWF Silent Auction is seldom quiet

 

By STEPHANIE SPENCER

Want to buy some awesome things for an awesome price?

Then don’t miss the silent auction, one of the most popular and certainly the most intense attraction at the Kirtland’s Warbler Festival. It features everything from high-powered, technically advanced binoculars by Brunton, the industry leader, to a variety of art pieces, nature-oriented items and gift certificates to some of the area’s finest restaurants.

Located in the Kirtland’s Warbler Festival headquarters tent on the front lawn of the campus, the silent auction is typically a beehive of activity, with bidders staking out their favorite items until the bidding ends.

Bidding begins at 9 a.m. and continues until mid-afternoon. Credit cards, checks and cash are accepted.

The auction is made possible by the generosity of dozens of local and national sponsors. Proceeds help to offset the expense of the two-day event sponsored by Kirtland Community College in conjunction with several state and national agencies charged with the recovery of the Kirtland’s Warbler.

Jackie Liddle and Dorothy Morse, both Kirtland employees, go out and knock on doors to receive donations to make the silent auction possible. Every item up for bid will have a piece of paper in front of it. Simply write your bid on the paper and include your name and other pertinent information. Then keep your fingers crossed – or stop back and re-bid.

“The bidding becomes intense at times,” said Jo Ann Gave, a Kirtland employee who volunteers to run the auction. “So keep an eye on your most desired items or before you know it someone may out bid you.”