Special Events

Throughout the year, Bethany House Ministries conducts various projects and events to fund our mission. To volunteer for one of our special events, contact us through our Volunteers page.

                     An Auction Experience

"Today I went to my first auction. I loved it! I spent half a day there. The preview was at 8:00 AM and it ended at 3:00 PM.

I was only going to spend an hour.

I wasn't going to buy anything.

You see, Sisters Kathleen and Ruth operate a second hand store. The proceeds of which go to programs for prisoners and their families. Ruth is in my chapter and besides, I like to help out with her ministry--Bethany House Ministries. So Kathleen and Ruth had so much stuff accumulated that they decided to have an auction--not really knowing what that entailed. Well, it morphed once it was advertised. People started donating items. A professional auctioneer donated his services. A church hall had to be rented to hold everything. Ruth says this was their first, and last, auction. It was too much work.

I couldn't believe how cheap everything went. The point was to get rid of the stuff. I had my eye on a "secretary". It went for $180.00. I wasn't planning on really buying anything so I couldn't bid that high. The only reason I was there was to show my support.

But I did buy something. My daughter Karen, who just got married, received so much china and glassware, that she expressed the wish that she needed a china closet, or a hutch. Actually, that "secretary" that I had my eye on is what I had in mind, for a china closet. The auction did have one china closet, but it was way bigger than the "secretary," so I didn't think I had a chance in bidding for it. I also knew who had donated it, too. And the reason it was donated was because she had downsized; she had sold her house and bought a condo. And the stuff she donated was quality. She had some very dear things.

When the china closet was up for bidding, a lot of chatter was going on. The noise made it hard to hear the auctioneer. Someone opened with $5. The auctioneer asked for ten and I raised my hand. He asked for $ 15--again $ 15--"Do I hear $15?" There was so much noise that I don't think anyone was paying attention. It was kinda surreal. "Sold for $ 10." Then on to the next item.

I sat there stunned. I turned to Ray on my right and said, "I just bought that china closet for $10". He said, "huh?" I turned to Sue on my left and said, "I just bought that china closet for $ 10." She just smiled and shook her head.

I thought about it and realized that I must have misunderstood. The auctioneer must have started at $100 and I must have bid $110.

Another possibility was I had bought something else for $10. Something made out of china.

I didn't know what to think until I noticed my bidding # placed on the china closet. So I did own it, but for $ 10 or $ 110.

I went to pay for it and it was $ 10!

The rest of the auction I think I was in a stupor. I didn't buy anything else. But I saw people buy Lenox and Gorham for $ 10, $ 20. There were unbelievable bargains. Towards the end, stuff was bunched together, just to sell it, i.e., a table with a vase and with a picture. All were sold together for one price like $ 10. At the very end, everything left or that didn't sell was put on a table and we were told to go help ourselves.

The auction made me think that I've wasted my life buying new. I've paid much, much, much more for new items in stores that are not quality items, like those sold at this auction. I'm a convert, now.

And Karen loved the china closet. "

 

PICS FROM OUR OCTOBER 30TH AUCTION