Raffle/Silent Auction Subcommittee

What is the Purpose

The Raffle and Silent Auction Subcommittee is responsible for planning and executing a raffle and silent auction to raise funds to offset the cost of the Spring Luncheon.

Who is Involved

The Co-Chairs of the Raffle/Silent Auction Subcommittee are selected by the Spring Luncheon Chair.  The Co-Chairs, in turn, recruit 10-12 volunteers to assist them on the day of the Spring Luncheon.  display donated items, sell raffle tickets, monitor auction bidding, distribute items to winners, and serve as cashiers.

What are the Tasks

Update the solicitation mailing list, adding names and verifying addresses.

Verify a sufficient supply of envelopes and stationery for the mailings.  Ask the Guild Room Chair to reorder if necessary.

Write and mail two solicitation letters to those on the mailing list, one in January and a follow up letter in March.

Mail a thank you letter and a “Confirmation of Donation” form, for tax purposes, to all who donated an item and/or service.

Mail a “thank you anyway” letter to those who responded but are not donating.

Submit articles, to be published in the February, March, and April issues of Artifacts, asking Guild members to donate items.

Solicit donations from Guild members at the February, March, and April Guild meetings.

Recruit volunteers to assist on the day of the event.

Receive donations

• Some donations are mailed to the Museum.
• Some donations are delivered to the Museum.
• Some donations need to be picked up at the donors location.
• Some donations are residual items from the Best of Show event.

Log each donation into the Access data base.  This computer program:

• assigns an identifying number which allows one to identify, track, and label each donation.
• generates a variety of reports, i.e., alphabetic or numeric listings, auction or raffle lists, listings by category, listings by source, etc.
• generates the identifying tags to be attached to each item before they are displayed at the event.

Record  the disposition of each donation into Access.  Was the item won, purchased, or unclaimed.  If won, by whom?  If purchased, by whom and at what price?  If unclaimed, what was its final disposition?

Consult with the Chair of the Spring Luncheon about tables and easels needed to display the raffle and silent auction donations.   Raffle items need to be separated from silent auction items.

Prepare the necessary tags, labels, display posters, raffle envelopes, and auction bid sheets.

Arrange to have donated items packed, loaded, and delivered to the luncheon site.

Train and assign the volunteers.

• 3 or 4 to sell the raffle tickets (usually men - because women members have suggested that women are more likely to buy from a man).
• 2 or 3 to help set up and monitor the raffle tables and distribute the raffle prizes.
• 2 or 3 to help set up the silent auction tables, monitor the auction bidding, notify the winners, and distribute the items purchased.
• 2 or 3 to serve as cashiers for the silent auction.

Secure the unclaimed items.

Acknowledge, by thank you note or other means, appreciation for the work done by the volunteers.

Attend the Notebook Turnover Meeting in early May and submit, in quadruplicate, the annual Raffle/Silent Auction Sub-Committee Report using the Sample Committee Report Format as a guide.  These reports will be distributed to the incoming Spring Luncheon Committee Chair; Guild Programs Coordinator; and President.  One copy will be filed in the Museum’s Library and Archives.

What is the Suggested Time Line

October/November

Update the mailing list.
Verify a sufficient supply of stationery.
Recruit volunteers.
Draft the solicitation and thank you letters.

January

Mail first solicitation letter.

February through April

Process responses.  There are four possibilities; (1) returned envelopes that were not delivered, (2) those who say no, (3) those who say yes, or (4) those who say maybe.
Mail appropriate thank you letters.
Collect, catalog, label, and secure donated items.
Mail second, follow up solicitation letter to those who have not responded. 
Submit articles to Artifacts soliciting donations from Guild members.
Solicit donations from Guild members at the monthly Guild meetings.
Prepare necessary tags, labels, display posters, raffle envelopes, and auction bid sheets.

May

Deliver items to the luncheon location.
Train the volunteers.
Set up displays.
Sell raffle tickets and conduct silent auction.
Distribute items to raffle winners and collect money from auction buyers.
Secure unclaimed items and submit monies earned to the Guild Treasurer. 
Attend the Notebook Turnover Meeting.
Submit notebook and four copies of the Raffle/Silent Auction Sub-Committee Annual Report for the turnover.