The little church with big (fundraising) ambitions

Holy Ghost Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Church auction

to fund repair of Milstone River Road cemetery driveway
By:Charlie Olsen
   The Holy Ghost Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Church is holding a basket auction between 7 and 10 p.m. Friday to raise funds to improve the driveways at its cemetery on Millstone River Road.
   The auction will feature about 75 baskets full of donated odds and ends, ranging from picture frames and luxury soaps to scrapbooking supplies and bed linens.
   "They’re items people can use, like photo albums," Holy Ghost financial secretary Sheila Smart said. "It’s different from a raffle because you have the option of looking at the items first. You can say ‘Oh, I like that,’ and bid on it."
   The auction will be a "Chinese auction," and the baskets will be on display at the church on 249 S. Seventh Ave. starting at 7 p.m.
   Unlike a regular auction, the prices of the baskets are pre-set and the winning ticket will be drawn from the cups starting around 7:30 p.m., or after everyone has placed their tickets.
   Potential bidders get 20 tickets for $5 that can be placed in a cup in front of baskets they like. Some baskets will have themes, such as book baskets — which will include items like bookmarks and book lights.
   The auction will also have three door prizes: a basket of luxury bath items, including soaps and bath salts; a bathrobe from the Ritz-Carlton hotel; and a set of bed linens.
   Coffee and cake will be served around 9 p.m. to break up the drawings, which are the longest part of the event.
   Funds raised from the auction and a 50/50 raffle will be used to widen and repave the driveway at the cemetery on Millstone River Road, which sits next to the Sacred Heart cemetery.
   "What has happened is that the driveway, installed in the 1950s, is now falling apart," Ms. Smart said. "The driveway is about a foot lower than the sides of the drive where the grave sites are."
   Ms. Smart said that the church is expecting about 100 people for the auction because the church is so small. Street parking will be available.
   "We usually get about 100 people – we’re a small church with only about 100 families," Ms. Smart said. "It’s been along time and the cemetery needs repair."