WLNH Children's Auction
The WLNH Children’s Auction is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that helps community organizations in the Central New Hampshire region. All donations are tax-deductible.
Organization
The WLNH Children’s Auction is an annual event held every December in Laconia, New Hampshire. The fundraiser made $2,100 in its first year and has come a long way with the help of countless volunteers and donors who have helped turn it into a major campaign on an annual basis that raised $175,327 in 2008. Over the 26 years that the community has come together, over $1.3 million dollars has been raised for local charities, all through volunteer efforts, community donations and corporate sponsorships. In 2007, Mayor Matt Lahey proclaimed December 10th “WLNH Children’s Auction Day” in the City of Laconia.
Local companies support the WLNH Children’s Auction by providing cash donations, sponsorships, and staff, allowing employees to serve the community at the WLNH Children’s Auction during what would normally be work hours. Nassau Broadcasting Partners, MetroCast, Franklin Savings Bank, Meadowbrook U.S. Cellular Pavilion, Laconia Savings Bank, Meredith Village Savings Bank, AutoServ NH, Steele Hill Resort, Laconia Athletic and Swim Club, Patrick’s Pub and Eatery and many other organizations contribute their priceless support.
The auction is entirely volunteer run, with over 700 volunteers and a range of donated auction items from the community. The auction buzzes with activity as phone bank workers cheer at over-bids, children dance and workers fly around the room. Items at the auction range from gift certificates to local businesses, sports collectibles, concert and sport tickets, autographed memorabilia, furniture, vacations, home décor, children’s toys, electronics and great holiday gifts.
Everything is donated; phone service, trees, lights, auction items, computers, the location where we hold the auction… all donated! Even the food is donated by local restaurants which provide meals for the all-volunteer staff throughout the week.
In addition to the donations that pour in for WLNH to auction off on-air, Theme Days draw in donations of the household things that local charities need for families in the region. Simple items like soap, shampoo, winter coats and diapers are some of the things that the charities in need struggle to supply. Some items never actually make it to the auction block, as late donations trickle into the auction. These donations still never go unused. The auction has so many connections to organizations which could use every item donated. Thus, all items end up in hands that will truly benefit.
Local support
Cycle Mania
Mike "Mad Dog" Gallagher rode a marathon’s equivalent in hours on a stationary cycle, raising money for the Children’s Auction over several years. He and other friends at the Laconia Athletic and Swim Club have contributed over $150,000 in a five year span through Teams of relay racers on stationary bikes and participant donations.
In 2007, “Mad Dog” teamed up with John "Blue Dog" Jurczynski to ride more than 113 hours on stationary cycles to become world record holders, raising money for the WLNH Children’s Auction. The previous August, Jurczynski contacted Tom Oakley owner of Laconia Athletic and Swim Club, about a spinning marathon and soon he and Gallagher worked with Oakley, and Tammy Levesque, the owner of Fitness Edge in Meredith to put their collective heads together to create "Cycle Mania World Record 2007."
The scene looked like a mixture of a rock concert and a regular day at the gym, with relay teams representing various community organizations and businesses on hand among a large crowd of onlookers. The previous Guinness World record was 111 hours, 11 minutes and 11 seconds. The effort was huge and the restrictions are strict under a Guinness set of guidelines that requires them to average 12 miles per hour and only afforded them 5 minutes of down time for every hour that they ride. Over 600 other riders joined in 18 teams to help raise money, while the two “Dogs” pedaled the equivalent of 1,400 miles, roughly from their location in Laconia New Hampshire to Disney in Florida. The monumentous endeavor raised awareness like never before, and presented the WLNH Children’s Auction with an amazing $34,000 contribution, thanks to their efforts.
Fitness Mania
Laconia Athletic and Swim Club and Patrick's Pub presented a 24-Hour Fitness Mania in 2008. Participants could choose which activity your team would like to do: cycling (on upright, recumbent or spinning bike), walking/running, elliptical machines, rowers or lap swimming. A silent and live auction of over 50 items was displayed before and during Fitness Mania. A “Post Mania Party” was catered by Patrick's Pub, and team prizes were awarded to the team that raised the most money.
Meanwhile, Mike “Mad Dog” Gallagher camped out on the roof of the health club. He would remain there for 72 hours, weathering a New England ice storm and power outages in an effort to bring awareness to a local charity event, equipped with a pulley, rope and bucket and accepting donations from passers by. As a forty-year-old fitness instructor, outdoor enthusiast and trained ice climber, “Mad Dog” has long been a supporter of the auction.
"It’s been a tough year for all of us," Gallagher said. "But it’s even tougher for those who were struggling long before this economic recession… they need our help."
Pub Mania
On December 10th and 11tth, Patrick’s Pub and Eatery will host the 1st Annual “Pub Mania”, where seats at the restaurant bar are sponsored by teams to sit and share a beverage with other community supporters of the WLNH Children’s Auction. Billed as the “funnest” fundraiser Patrick’s has ever done, Patrick’s will be donating their 26 bar stools to teams that will raise a minimum of $1,000. Each team is responsible for “manning” their bar stool for 24 hours, with a different team member each hour, beginning on Thursday, December 10th at 11AM. To reach the goal of $1,000 each team member would need to raise a minimum of $42.00.
Patrick’s will provide the team members with food, beverage, entertainment, great bartenders and more. With 26 teams and 24 members on each team, there will be a total of 624 Pub Mania participants that will be served. 100% of the funds raised via teams, sponsorships, T-shirt sales and any other donations will be passed directly to the WLNH Children’s auction. In addition, Patrick’s will be donating 20% of their gross sales for the day. www.patrickspub.com
Fall Ball
In November of 2007, Meadowbrook U.S. Cellular Pavilion in Gilford, New Hampshire hosted a formal event called the “Fall Ball”, which raised over $1,000 for the auction’s 25th anniversary.
Boot drives
Lakes Region Mutual Fire Aid departments support the Auction Annually through Boot Drives. Alton, Belmont, Gilford, Laconia, Tilton-Northfield, Franklin and Meredith have been participating for a number of years by holding boot drives on Thanksgiving weekend. Each department picks a local shopping mall or department store and stands outside the entrances with boots, asking for donations. In 2007, the departments presented checks totaling $10,725! Alton collected $2,125; Meredith, $1,000; Laconia, $2,000; Gilford, $2,500; and Belmont, $3,100.
Good Earth
Good Earth is run by three local teenagers; Ryan Curtis, Samantha Seymour, and Brandon Hamel, who together are called the "Trio". 2008 was Good Earth's fourth year being involved in the auction. The Trio raised $2000 in cash and over $350 in gift cards from the 3rd Annual Walk-A-Thon For the Kids which was help in September 2008. In total, Good Earth has raised over $13,600 from all four years of participation through events like walk-a-thons, 5k races and more.
Penny banks
Students from the Union-Sanborn Elementary School in the Winnisquam Regional School District donned elf hats to visit the auction in 2008. The children presented a $500 check to the Children’s Auction; a result of the children collecting their pennies to help the community in need.
Gingerbread houses
Elementary school children have some of the most profound effects on the auction. Over the years, several elementary schools have gathered the children to create a magical gift for the auction. One of the most memorable items is a large, approximately 3 by 4 foot gingerbread house complete with a candy walkway and frosting forest, fashioned proudly by the children of Woodland Heights Elementary School "for [other] children who can't afford things". One child, when asked what he thought it might go for on the auction block, indicated that he thought it was probably worth about "$1,000 infinity dollars." Auction bidders agreed! A local couple bought one of the houses for $1,000 and donated it back to the auction for bidding again. When it received a lower total a second time, they bid $150 again and bought it back, feeling it deserved a higher bid. After all was done at the auction, the family brought the gingerbread creation back to the school so that the children could get a taste of their own generosity, having donated a total of $1,150 to the WLNH Children’s Auction through the priceless actions of the community’s own children.
Beneficiaries
Determining which organizations to help is the hardest part. The Auction’s Executive Board tries to make their best effort to determine which organizations have the greatest need and can assist the children the most. The board asks for organizations in need to provide the necessary information on what they do and who they serve, and how big the need is for that organization.
In addition to smaller organizations and families helped throughout the 26 years of the WLNH Children’s Auction, annual contributions are given to many community-based organizations throughout central New Hampshire. These include The Boys and Girls Club of the Lakes Region, Citizen Santa Fund, Community Health and Hospice Young Families program, Gilford Police Relief Association, Greater Lakes Child Advocacy Center, Lakes Region Daycare, Health First Family Care of Franklin, Salvation Army, Irv Buchman Memorial Children’s Fund, Laconia Police Relief Association, Gilford Police Relief Association, Lakes Region Child Care Services, Laconia Endowment Educational Foundation (LEEF), Moultonborough Children’s Christmas Fund, Mrs. Santa Fund – Alton, Ozanam Place, Saint Vincent De Paul, Tapply-Thompson Community Center, Tilton-Northfield-Sanbornton Santa Fund and more.
History
In 1982, WLNH radio host Warren Bailey, responding to the needs of Lakes Region children and their families, created a two-day fund-raising broadcast from the WLNH van in front of the Laconia YMCA. He raised $2,100 and collected a number of items to be donated to the “Citizen Santa Fund”.
With the support of the entire staff of WLNH, Warren worked tirelessly to grow this event into a multi-day radio auction over the next fifteen years. Through the generosity of several different landlords the auction found a home each year in store fronts throughout downtown Laconia. Under Warren’s guidance, multitudes of people became involved in this event, and the “WLNH Children’s Auction” took on a life of its own.
In 1999, a cooperative effort between WLNH, MetroCast Cablevision, and Lakes Region Public Access Television (LRPA-TV) was created. Student cameramen and broadcast professionals came together to form a multimedia broadcast. As a radio and television auction, the auction experienced a dramatic increase in activity, both in monies raised, items gathered and families assisted.
From 2000 to 2006, the WLNH Children’s Auction family grew to include hundreds of volunteers every year and an audience of untold numbers through out the entire Lakes Region.
The auction has really gained steam during the past decade, with auction totals going from $89,000 to $120,000 from 2000 to 2001 and from $137,000 to $158,000 from 2003 to 2004. The auction raised $181,000 in 2005 only to have that total beaten by 2006’s $201,000 in fundraising.
The fundraiser that is now known as the Children's Auction made $2,100 in its first year and has come a long way with the help of countless volunteers and donors who have helped turn it into a major campaign on an annual basis. In 2007, the auction brought in $210,325 dollars, breaking the $1 million dollar mark for the 25 cumulative years it celebrated in 2007. The New Hampshire Association of Broadcasters presented the WLNH Children’s Auction the Merit Award as Public Service Campaign of the Year in October of 2008, after 25 years of community service.
2008 became a memorable year for auction staff after an ice storm knocked out power to the conference center which hosting the event. Lights went out and power went down, but the resilient staff would not be stopped. When the power came back on, the phones still weren’t operating like they should. Normally staffing 15 stations at phone banks, volunteers scrawled their mobile phone numbers onto poster board, and the auction went live again, with bidders calling volunteers on personal cell phones to place bids: the show went on! The heart and mission of the WLNH Children’s Auction is so great, that it becomes a driving force in the community.
Each year, auction volunteers, sponsors and contributors move into the auction with the knowledge that they are a part of something unique, magical and humbling. It has been and continues to be a very precious honor to be involved in this event.
Celebrity appearances
- Wally the Green Monster (Red Sox mascot)
- Jim Rice (Red Sox)
- Derek Sanderson (Boston Bruins 1968-1978)
Governor John Lynch
Chris Thomas, WMUR-TV Meteorologist
Matt Noyes, NECN Meteorologist
Tom Caron, NECN Sportscaster
Santa Claus
2005 Miss New Hampshire Krystal Barry
Press Coverage
2007: WLNH CHILDRENS AUCTION BEGINS MONDAY IN LACONIA - US Auction Info, 12/9/07
FUNDRAISER REACHES NEW HEIGHTS - The Citizen, 12/11/07
FUNDRAISER REACHES NEW HEIGHTS - MSNBC.com, 12/11/07
CHILDREN'S AUCTION NETS $27,226 AS OF TUESDAY - The Citizen, 12/12/07
CHILDREN'S AUCTION REACHES $54,215 IN FIRST THREE DAYS - The Citizen, 12/13/07
IN LACONIA: CHILDREN'S AUCTION GETS A BIG BOOST - The Citizen, 12/14/07
CHILDREN'S AUCTION REACHES $128,211 - The Citizen, 12/15/07
WHAT GOES AROUND ... ... COMES AROUND - The Citizen, 12/19/07
2007 CYCLE MANIA: SPINNING THEIR WHEELS - The Citizen, 11/16/07
5 QUESTIONS BEFORE AN 111-HOUR BIKE RIDE - The Concord Monitor, 11/26/07
CYCLISTS TRYING TO SET GUINNESS RECORD FOR CHARITY - Boston Globe, 12/10/07
CYCLISTS ATTEMPT TO SET WORLD RECORD FOR CHARITY - WMUR-TV, 12/10/07
CYCLISTS TRYING TO SET WORLD RECORD FOR CHARITY - WCAX-TV, 12/10/07
CYCLISTS TRYING TO SET GUINNESS RECORD FOR CHARITY - The Concord Monitor, 12/10/07
DREAM HAS THEM SPINNING IN LACONIA- The Citizen, 12/11/07
MEN HOPE TO SET STATIONARY BICYCLING RECORD - Planet Ultramarathon, 12/11/07
CYCLISTS PASS HALFWAY MARK - Laconia Daily Sun, 12/13/07
BIKERS PEDAL TOWARD WORLD RECORD - The Citizen, 12/14/07
112 HOURS LATER, CYCLISTS SET RECORD - The Citizen, 12/15/07
5 QUESTIONS AFTER 113-HOUR BIKE RIDE - Concord Monitor, 12/18/07
2008:
Boot drive supports Children's Auction - The Citizen by Katie Ahern, 11/29/08
Children's Auction takes in $175,327 - The Citizen by Victoria Guay, 12/15/08
Student group gives back to community - The Citizen by Harrison Haas, 12/11/08
Auction raises $20,000 during its first day - The Citizen from Staff Reports, 12/10/08
Up on the roof — for good - The Citizen by John Koziol, 12/10/08
Curtain goes up on Children's Auction - The Citizen by Gail Ober, 12/9/08