Start with a handful of experiences related to the use of the field. Will a local college use it? As them to donate the ability to stand on the sidelines during a game, or watch from the President's Box.

Ask the cheerleading squad for one of the teams that will be using it for a chance to auction off a "guest spot" on the squad for a game - for girls 17 and under. (Parents/grandparents/aunts of such girls can bid on it, of course!)

Ask the coach of one of the teams, or one of the players, to provide a private 2-hour Punt, Pass and Kick lesson.

Auction off season tickets for one of the teams that will use the field - or for ALL of them.

Sell "name-a-bleacher" plaques - for $100, they get their name on an engraved plaque attached to the end of one row of bleacher seats.

Does any of the teams have a mascot? If so, see if they will donate the chance to wear the costume for an afternoon.

Auction or sell the chance to have your picture taken with a star player, and have the photo autographed.

Above all, if you need to raise the money, lose the fear of asking for it. You are holding no one at gunpoint; the only people who will give you money are the people who care about getting the field built and are willing to help, if asked. So ask - with confidence and no apologies. The worst they can do is say no.

Roger Devine
www.schoolauction.net

I have to raise the money to outfit our area's first football field. Can you all help me think of experience auctions I could offer? I love this idea. Our economy is so bad as a result of the oil spill and recession I can hardly stand to ask anyone for money. This sounds like a fun and potentially profitable alternative. Since the field will be used less by the school and more by the local sports association offering football I am not limited to items related to school. There are no limits.

Please help! I have to raise $60,000!!!!

Thank you!

If any of your parents are police officers, ask to have a Police Escort to School. This is always a huge item for us! Kids get to ride to school in a cop car!

We also have furious bidding on some items that parents donate, like a chef for the night and as a donator, if the bidding is going well, I'll stand up and offer to do a second party. Sometimes our auctioneer will do a little friendly coercing for a second party or event when he knows who the donator is...we're lucky that one of parents is an actual auctioneer. He knows how to get top dollar for everything!

Don't forget the Honey-Do Crew! Six dads, for five hours, on one Saturday. Available for yard work, painting, you name it.

Two years ago, the bidding on this at our auction was so furious that one dad (who was part of the original crew) stood up just as the bidding ended, stopped the auctioneer, and on the spot organized a second crew to sell to the underbidder - he just called for volunteers and got a second crew together right then and there.

I wound up on both crews, since my wife was the underbidder.

Roger
SchoolAuction.net

Thanks for all the ideas! I would love to hear more if anyone has new ideas. We are having a auction in April and donations are slow due to double digit unemployment in our area. Thanks in advance!!

We also do principal/secretary/librarian for the day and several of the other things mentioned.

Our teachers also chipped in with a night of babysitting, or your child + 1 friend go to the movies or Plaster Fun Time or mini-golf.