Friends, it’s almost here! We thank the many volunteers who have come forward to make it happen this week and all the donors who overtopped the website with amazing, clever, appealing, OMG-I-must-have-it prizes. We on the committee admit we have not seen the like of this turn out of high quality/value items. We think you will be inspired to bid so come prepared to take possession of your dream Shhh…Silent Auction! lot. We have tallied the values of all donations and they weigh in at an astonishing $39,125! That figure is NOT a typo! Of course the opening bids will be a percentage of the actual value of each donation, allowing for you to snag a deal!
If you are bringing your donation to drop off, please label it clearly by including a copy of the donation form you filled out before March 11. Otherwise, securely tuck in a note explaining who it is from (individual, chapter, etc.) and what it is so we can sort it out. And please have all the donations that were not shipped ahead of time turned in to the Registration Desk by 8:00 a.m. Friday, March 25! We have many to set out and your timing will be key to our success!
In a late breaking development, the Exhibit Hall will not open until 10:00 a.m on Friday morning. This gives you a bit more time to review what is available on line so you can finesse your bidding strategy then get in there and begin the quest! Get on the web page (https://vraarlis2011.wordpress.com/silent-auction/silent-auction-item/) and see what astonishing treasures await your swift pen. Julieann Swanson has brilliantly and tirelessly uploaded all the donations for your perusing pleasure. There are over 100 listed (gasp!), so bear in mind some are the separate components of chapter ensembles, but also the Silent Auction Committee shall be consolidating others into intelligently considered lots.
And it’s still not too late to “Shhh” yourself!
Don’t forget to finalize arrangements for your Purchase Orders for the major donations for institutions. It will be exciting to watch the final bidding unfold and entertaining to see the battle of wits in the Jeopardy! game as Shhh… Silent Auction! bids are being recorded.
We would like to take this opportunity to recognize the contributions to this committee’s work by one of its original members who in the early days moved on to serve the conference on another committee but not before she made a significant impact on Shhh… Silent Auction!, Inga Theissen! Please take a bow, Inga, and know that you are still missed. We also thank Allan Kohl for joining the committee in Inga’s stead. He too has made enormous contributions- from the moment he stepped in, he stepped up.
We await, breathlessly, the conclusion of this saga in Minneapolis! Our engines are idling, ready to roar into gear! See you there!
Empress Patti McRae Baley, Janice Lurie, Julieann Swanson and Allan Kohl
VRA + ARLIS/NA 2nd Joint Conference Blog 
If we are the lucky high bidder, what will the accepted forms of payment be? Looking forward to the event!