How do SWFHR Quarter Auctions work?
If you’ve never been to one of SWFHR’s Quarter Auctions, here is how they work:
When you arrive, you must rent at least one bidding paddle at the door. Yes, you can rent as many paddles as you like. Each paddle is numbered and has a corresponding poker chip. Once you’ve decided how many paddles you want to rent, we hand you those paddles. Then we pull the corresponding numbered poker chip(s) to your bidding paddles and place them in a tumbler much like a Bingo spinner.
At the start of the auction, our MC will hold up the first item up for bid.
- let’s say: we hold up a $25 gift card to Outback Steakhouse.
Our MC will ask for a certain number of quarters based on the value of the item.
- let’s say: the MC asks for 2 quarters for this item, you have the option to bid by placing 2 quarters in the bowl on your table and then you may hold up your bidding paddle(s).
Side note: If you have 2 or more paddles you may bid for some or all of your paddles – provided you put the same amount of quarters call for per bidding paddle for each of the ones you raise in the air.
FYI, we have seen this more than once, someone only chose to bid with 1 of their paddles and sure enough, the number drawn was the number on the paddle they did not use. Don’t let this happen to you. Lol!
One of our runners will then pick up the collection bowl at your table and empty the quarters from the bowl and turn them in. Once all runners have returned to the collection point the MC will announce for the tumbler to stop spinning and draw a numbered poker chip. The number drawn must correspond to a current paddle in the air for a winner. If you have that number but didn’t raise that paddle you can not play it at this point. All paddles are to remain in the air until a winner is found. There is no more money to be added, we simply spin and pull until we have a winner. This may take a few times of drawing to do so.
- Example: Let’s say you have 4 paddles and you really really want that $25 gift card, you bid all 4 paddles by placing 8 quarters in the bowl. We spin and draw one of your numbers, you just won a $25 gift card for $2!!!!
This goes on until we run out of items.
Our Quarter Auctions usually only last about 2 hours and they are a LOT of fun for the entire family!
Each person attending should bring plenty of quarters so that you can bid, bid, bid. Of course, we will have quarters on stand by. If you would like to donate an item(s) to SWFHR to offer up for bid at our next quarter auction or any fundraiser for that matter please contact info@swfhr.org or call (239) 567-4111.
