Winning Bids Support LDC: Band Together auction winners enjoy one-of-a-kind experiences

Winning Experiences

Band Together silent auction winners enjoy one-of-a-kind experiences

by Alison Weaver

Enticed by the thrill of a bargain and spurred on by the adrenaline rush of beating out the competition, attendees at last summer’s Band Together fundraising event bid on many unique items and experiences at the silent auction. From dinners at some of the Triangle’s best restaurants to personalized items, including a custom skateboard and photo memory book to experiences such as salsa dance lessons, the donated items helped to raise more than $20,000 for the Center’s Family Support Fund.  Many of these special items were solicited by members of the Center’s board and board of advisors and some were donated by them as well. Over and above the funds raised, the silent auction helped to forge new community connections and build awareness about the work of the Lucy Daniels Center and its impact.

Those outcomes are fitting since the goal of Band Together, a local nonprofit founded in 2001, is to raise funds and awareness for different charities through musical events. The Band Together event in support of the Center raised more than $142,000 from 90 sponsors and 2,700 attendees in June 2009.

Raleigh resident Beth Yerxa was one of those 2,700 individuals who attended the outdoor event. When she and her husband, Ben, came across the “Personal Chef Experience” auction item with Chef Sarig Agasi of Zely & Ritz, they knew they had to have it. “We are big fans of Zely & Ritz so we knew we wanted it,” Beth explained. She bid on the item and continued to check back to see if anyone had outbid her before deciding to “buy it now.” In a lot of silent auctions, the item up for bid is assigned a buy-it-now price at which bidders can agree to buy the item and forgo the bidding process. For Beth, it put an end to the often nail-biting experience of waiting to see if you were successful.

The Yerxa’s winning bid meant that on Sunday, Nov. 8, Chef Agasi from Zely & Ritz, a tapas restaurant and wine bar in Raleigh that uses only organic ingredients, prepared a three-course dinner for four at the Yerxa’s home. Wine and conversation were followed by a salad course and then a tuna dish that Beth remembers well, “I put that first bite into my mouth and said, ‘Oh my gosh, this is good!’” A “flan, chocolate concoction and some apple goodness” made a trilogy of desserts and memorable finale to the Yerxa’s in-home, restaurant-quality meal. It’s that kind of strong impact that Beth said she realized the Center is making daily in the lives of children.

The Center’s focus on early childhood education is “especially important” to Raleigh resident Clare Golding, a substitute teacher at Daniels Middle School in Raleigh. While enjoying “good music, good beer and fun,” Clare says she learned of the Center’s mental-health focus. She was thrilled to find the “Fullsteam Brewery Experience” on the silent auction tables since her husband James appreciates good beer. “He made beer in college, and his dad makes his own beer, but he hadn’t had time or the equipment to do it,” Clare explained.  

James worked with Durham-based Fullsteam Brewery to design his own custom beer. James, who is a video-game programmer, named his beer “The Squid and the Ale” based on an old gaming name. “My husband is English, and they are really into bad puns,” Clare said. The beer is made with Golden hops and is similar to an English Bitter. Regardless of the type, good beer has a distinctive brand, and so the team at Fullstream worked with James to develop a fitting logo for his beer and a t-shirt that would commemorate the experience.

Other auction winners included Anna and Jeb Quarles who won a cooking demonstration and dining experience at Crook’s Corner in Chapel Hill, N.C., for 10 people. The eclectically styled restaurant has a national reputation for its traditional and new Southern cuisine. Anna worked directly with the restaurant’s well-known and respected chef, Bill Smith, to develop a menu for her guests. On Monday, September 7, Anna and Jeb, along with eight of their closest friends and family members dined on mayonnaise and tomato sandwiches, seafood risotto, Green Tabasco Chicken with spinach and buttermilk crème pie with strawberry ice cream – all of which was made from scratch.

The Quarles and their guests received recipes for all the courses. “The thing that all of us have already cooked again is the chicken simply because it was very, very easy,” Anna said. Anna’s mom Jean Smith, who is a member of the Center’s Board of Advisors, attended the dinner. Anna and Jean agreed that Chef Bill Smith is the friendliest, most engaging and down-to-earth chef they had ever met. That combined with “fantastic food” is why the restaurant has become a home away from home for its regulars who seek it out for good home-cooked food in a comfortable environment.

For the Yerxas, the Goldings, the Quarles and Jean Smith, their winning silent auction experiences made a valuable connection:  The Lucy Daniels Center is a comforting home where the children and families it serves receive the emotional nutrition they need to lead fulfilling and happy lives.

Click here for a list of Band Together sponsors and donors.