Carlisle, PA
By Kristin Wilson, July 8, 2004
Friends of Bosler Free Library in Carlisle are hoping an early start will make this year’s benefit auction an “awesome” success.
“At this point, we have over 200 items,” says auction co-chair Pat Mastandrea. That includes about 75 “celebrity” items – books, movie scripts and posters signed by Hollywood stars.
The 22nd annual benefit auction will be held Sept. 11. Co-chair Pat Fischer says the date – falling on the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States – was the day that best worked in the community, considering other planned festivals and fundraisers.
“After much soul searching, we decided that it would be a date quite suited to an event that is characterized by deference to the past and hope for the brightest future,” the organizing committee wrote.
Organizers say they are already gearing up for the gala and auction that has become a Carlisle tradition.
Planning started in February, just a few months after 2003’s auction raised about $23,000 to benefit the library.
New furniture sought
“The more (items) we have, the more we can make for the library,” says co-chair Pat Fischer. Friends of the Bosler Free Library Board are planning on using money raised at the auction to refurbish and replace the furniture in the East Wing Reading Room.
“This is what we want to do. But it’ll all depend on what we raise,” says Fischer.
No price range has been set for the refurbishing work.
“We don’t have any projections at the moment,” says library director Linda Rice.
“We’re developing a wish list … to make it more of a comfortable reading room.”
Rice says since the library added stained glass reading lamps to the East Wing, it has become more of a quiet, reading space.
The library is hoping to upgrade its furnishings with “soft, comfortable chairs … so people can relax and enjoy their time,” she says.
Again this year, the auction will be held at the library, with a tent outside. The Friends moved the gala from Dickinson College to the West High Street library last year.
“We got so much positive feedback last year,” Mastandrea says. “It seems like there’s a lot more interest. We already have people calling about tickets. That’s exciting.”
“I think it’s going to be something that will draw the community together for a great cause,” says Karen Rovegno, auction committee member and president of the Friends board. “People said, ‘It was so much fun to eat and drink in the library.'”
Need items with ‘punch’
The benefit auction committee is compiling a list of what they hope will be “big ticket” items, but they’re still looking for the community to help donate live auction items “with punch.”
“We’re desperate for some great live auction items, to spark that interest,” says Mastandrea. Some of the biggest sellers last year included vacation packages, donated by community members with vacation homes, and sporting event tickets.
Friends board member Donna Domenick is donating her culinary skills, auctioning off a “Tour of Italy” dinner for eight couples in her home. She says she has cooked special meals for friends in the past, but never participated in an auction. Domenick’s specialty is homemade ravioli, a recipe she says has been passed down through her Italian mother-in-law.
The Bosler cookbook committee will also donate a special dinner for eight people, with the successful bidder selecting a menu from the cookbook.
Celebrities donate
Here’s a sampling of items donated so far for the Sept. 11 gala:
A pair of Jimmy Choo metallic pink sandals worn and autographed by Bette Midler.
Copy of “The Early Stories” autographed by John Updike.
Autographed photos of all six “Friends” from the hit TV sitcom.
A box set of Elizabeth Taylor’s “White Diamonds” perfume with a signed black and white photograph.
Black leather jacket from Planet Hollywood.
“French Colonial” dinner party for eight at California Cafe.
A TV script from “The West Wing” signed by the original cast.
Tickets to a tapping of “Live With Regis & Kelly.”
A Cannondale mountain bike donated by Cole Bicycles.
Signed photo and Chilean seabass recipe from James Earl Jones.
“CSI” script signed by William Peterson
Signed photos from Willard Scott and Whoopi Goldberg.
“The Practice” script signed by the original cast.
“Forest Gump” script signed by Gary Sinise.
Five books, including “Big Stone Gap” from author Adriana Trigiani.
2001 Tony Awards program signed by Nathan Lane.
“Serendipity” poster signed by John Cusack and the entire cast.
A copy of “Life is Too Short” signed by author Mickey Rooney.
“Cosbyology” signed by Bill Cosby.
Quilt raffled off
The Friends of Bosler Free Library are also raffling off a Quarry Hill quilt, worth about $500. The Friends purchased the queen-size “broken log cabin star” quilt. M&T Bank is underwriting the raffle item.
“The colors are in the patriotic vein,” says Rovegno. “This is really, really lovely.”
The quilt will be on display at the library off and on until the auction. Raffle tickets are $1 each.
FYI
Tickets for this year’s auction gala to benefit Carlisle’s Bosler Free Library will go on sale around mid-August, organizers say. Invitations will be mailed, but anyone can pick up an invitation at the library after the first week of August.
Tickets are $35 and will include dinner catered by Ground For Appeal on West High Street.
The auction will be held Sept. 11 and will run from 6 to 10 p.m., an hour longer than last year’s.
For more information or to make a donation contact Pat Fischer at 258-4186 or Pat Mastandrea at 249-0660.
