RV Industry Steps Up for Elkhart Co. Boys & Girls Clubs – RVBusiness – Breaking RV Industry News
ELKHART, Ind. – The 23rd annual “Bids for Kids” auction, a charitable fund-raiser on the RV industry’s traditional fall calendar, was again held Friday night (Oct. 6) at the RV/MH Hall of Fame’s Orthwein Pavilion in Elkhart for a sizeable crowd comprised in large part – but not exclusively — of recreation vehicle industry people.
And despite some of the economic hurdles with which much of the world has been dealing lately, this year’s Bids for Kids auction appears to have retained its magic and to have again generated phenomenal financial returns on behalf of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Elkhart County and the many young people they serve on a regular basis.
“Our sponsors all stepped up as usual, so that was great,” said auction chair Jason Lippert, president & CEO of LCI Industries, a major Elkhart-based RV industry supplier with more than 70 locations that also plays a significant role in the marine, manufactured housing, leisure and transportation sectors.
Jason Lippert
“We had a great crowd. I mean, we had over 415 attendees, and a lot of the same supporters, year-in and year-out, a bunch of them from the industry,” said Lippert over the weekend. “And although bidding felt light at times, we did really well, although compared to last year or the year before, we were probably just a little bit less. But still, I mean, there was a lot of action on the bidding and it seemed like most items were going for five digits or more every time.”
Consequently, Lippert, who was chairing his 17th Bids for Kids auction on Friday night along with key support again this year from LCI Director of Corporate and Community Impact Michilah Grimes and others from a variety of other companies, reported auction revenues that again tended to dwarf most other charity auctions.
“Yes, I think we were close to probably a million and a quarter dollars (in total revenues), which is just a rough estimate at the moment,” Lippert told RVBusiness. “And it all goes to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Elkhart County – every penny of it.”
That remarkable auction tally probably shouldn’t be that much of a surprise, all things considered, given the auction’s past experiences and some of the prices that bidders were paying Friday night at the Hall of Fame for live auction items gaveled by auctioneer Joseph Mast of Mast Auctioneers LLC – several of which sold more than once.
Some examples:
- Choice: Adele or Taylor Swift tickets for 2: $12,500
- 1-week Caribbean catamaran cruise for 4-6: $25,000
- Weeklong 6-Bdrm Napa Valley Home: $42,500 (X2)
- Classic Winchester Model 1894 hunting rifle: $21,000
- Jet to Michael Jordan’s Fla. golf course: $22,000 (X4)
- Private jet day trip for 7 east of Mississippi: $41,000
- A totally adorable Mini-Goldendoodle pup: $17,500
“RV leaders show up at a lot of different events,” Lippert told RVB. “But I think that this is one of the signature events that a lot of the industry folks attend, industry leaders especially. They’re the ones that make it successful and really help us raise the money that we do — considering that a lot of other auctions around the country this time of year probably generate totals of about $150,000 to $350,000. I think it’s spectacular what our little community can do.
“So, yes, I couldn’t be happier. A lot of work and effort went into it by everybody that was on the team. But it’s always good to see a successful event like we had in any kind of economic time. Any way you look at it, it was good.”
Source: https://rvbusiness.com/rv-industry-steps-up-for-elkhart-co-boys-girls-clubs/
