Service Auction / Wine & Cheese Party
at Unitarian Universalist Church of Fort Lauderdale (UUCFL)

There was wine. There was cheese. There was bellydancing. Huh? As a surprise highlight, Elizabeth Bercaw, a professional bellydancer, gave the delighted audience a sample of the family-oriented bellydancing session that she was offering.

We are ever so grateful for our helpers, donors, and bidders. Thanks to Frank Solis our sanctuary was transformed into a cozy auction house. Phoenix Cockerham warmly greeted bidders with catalogs. Ever-smiling Mary Bardis wore multiple hats as food preparer, bartender, cashier, raffle-ticket seller, and event photographer. While awaiting the live auction and raffle, bidders put their names on sheets for fixed-bid and silent auction items, mingled, noshed, and imbibed. Stirring the warmly glowing crowd into a bidding frenzy, auctioneer Kip Barkley's ad-libbed quips kept the afternoon entertaining and exciting. Poured into a copper gown and elbow-length gloves, Judy King camped and vamped while encouraging bidding and taking items into the audience for closer inspection. Models of efficiency, Melanie Taffel and Phoenix made checking out a breeze by keeping running tabs for each winning bidder.

It was Susan Friend's lucky night. She won both the highly coveted chenille afghan hand-made by Virginia Anderson and the raffle for the tree of 50 Lotto/lottery tickets. (You will make a contribution to the church if you win big, right, Susan? ;-)) We all had fun and made about $900 for the church in just one night. If you couldn’t attend, it’s not too late to participate. You can bid at the fixed-bid and silent auctions over the next few weeks.

See our 2009 Service Auction Catalog (Word - 146 KB).

 Judy King and    Melanie Taffel

Phoenix and Melanie Counting Beans

Elizabeth Shimmying

Auctioneer Kip with Judy as Vanna White

Attentive and Bemused Bidders

Mary Tending Bar