WQPT Quad Cities is bringing back its original “The Auction is at Your House” fundraiser in both an online and on-air format.
Items can be viewed before the on-air portion of the auction here. To place a bid, click on an item, and a window will pop up to choose a dollar amount. Rather than calling in and talking to a volunteer, people will bid using their phone so bidders can watch and bid in real time.
The on-air portion of the auction will air from 8 to 10 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 28, and Friday, Jan. 29.
Dawn Schmitt, interim General Manager for WQPT, says the station usually holds its fundraisers in person, but they had to improvise this year due to the pandemic.
“Typically, at this time of year, we would be holding our gala Champagne on the Rocks, but due to COVID, we had to think out of the box for our auction items, and we took a look at our history and decided to bring back ‘The Auction is at Your House,'” said Schmitt.
“The Auction is at Your House” will be unique compared to WQPT’s past fundraising events in that it will feature artwork from area artists such as Steve Sinner, Patricia Bereskin and Jason Platt.
WQPT Director of Local Content Lora Adams says some of the artwork featured in this year’s auction was given by East Moline native and former WGN Radio host Spike O’Dell, who is not a stranger to participating in benefit auctions.
“When I was an intern with WQPT many years ago, I worked on the auction, doing everything from running camera to talent handling,” said Adams. “It’s very exciting to once again work with Spike O’Dell, who was a talent back in the late 80s, and who has now provided us with two beautiful watercolors that we will auction off.”
The auction also includes items such as half of a hog, a vacation stay at Grand Geneva Resort, fine jewelry, stuffed animals and more.
Don’t want to bid in the auction but still want to make a contribution to WQPT? Monetary donations can be made here.
