'Glitz, Glam & Giving' - Annual Benefit Auction

34^th Annual Oaklawn Benefit Auction runs through March 14

The 34th Annual Oaklawn Benefit Auction, a two-week-long virtual event which began March 1, will end with an in-person celebration on March 14 above Eastend Studio & Gallery in the Wagner Ballroom in downtown Marshall.

Themed the “Roaring Twenties,” organizers are looking forward to an evening of “Glitz, Glam & Giving” on the 14^th and are hoping to make this year’s auction the most successful to date.

Hundreds of donations — including trips, event and show tickets, memorabilia, specialty products, services and gift certificates — are up for bids in this year’s auction. 

Access to information about silent-auction items and the purchase of raffle tickets as well as tickets for the event at Eastend may be found online at oaklawnhospital.org/benefit-auction. 

Tickets for the in-person event are $75 and include an open bar and appetizers. The gathering, from 5:30-8 p.m. on the 14^th, is limited to 150 people and tickets may be purchased through the auction website. 

Proceeds from the auction will support the Oaklawn Women’s Diagnostic Center, a place of hope and healing for women in our community. Located in the Ricketson Medical Building, the Women’s Diagnostic Center offers mammography, ultrasound, and DEXA Scan services in a relaxing and compassionate atmosphere. 

Those who wish to sponsor the auction financially may choose from among various levels of sponsorship at the website, as well as purchase raffle tickets individually at $10 and in groups of six for $50 and 13 for $100. 

Two raffle winners will be chosen at the event at Eastend and can choose from one of three prize packages (Raffle winners need not be in attendance to win):

• Donated by BluFish: 24” Apple Blue iMac, an iPad with 64GB, an Apple Pencil and Apple AirPods Max 
• Donated by the Marshall Community Credit Union: Two nights at the Royal Hotel above Schuler’s Restaurant, Tour of Dark Horse Brewing Co. with a flight of beer, $250 in Marshall Chamber Bucks and Brunch at the Copper Athletic Club
• $1,500 in cash

“With your support, we can impact the lives of even more women in the years ahead,” noted auction organizer Cindy Lake of Oaklawn’s Development Department, who said this year’s goal is to raise $100,000. 

Added Radiology Manager Courtney Jacoby: “Women’s health and mammography is a good cause because we are preventing instead of just diagnosing.” 

Title sponsors for this year’s auction include Schroeder DeGraw PLLC, BluFish – A Branding Agency, Albion Electric Inc., Bruce and Linda Rasher, and Greater Michigan Spine & Neurosurgery: Timothy Spencer, DO.

Those who wish to contribute or donate to Oaklawn are being asked to visit the website www.oaklawnhospital.org/benefit-auction; contact Kelsey Zeilstra at 269-789-7494 or kzeilstra@oaklawnhospital.com; or contact Cindy Lake at 269-789-7570 or clake@oaklawnhospital.com.

Among some of the silent auction items up for bid online include:

• Golf Packages
• Hail to the Champions! Limited Edition (Sold Out) set of 3, deep-etched, hand-painted 2024 Championship bottles of Red Wine from Mano’s Wine
• 14 Karat white gold “V” custom pendant with diamonds from Hodges Jewelers
• 10 Silver Dollar coins donated by Hodges: five coins dated 1922, four coins dated 1923 and one coin dated 1925
• Women’s purses and jewelry  
• Small kitchen appliances
• Cutco Knives
• Dessert of the Month
• Gift Cards to area restaurant and stores
• Catering by Paula Tucker
• Dining space at National House Inn
• Char Broil 4-Burner Gas Griddle on wheels
• Kindle
• Amazon Echo Show
• Ooni Portable Pizza Oven
• Electric Bike
• Detroit Red Wings Tickets
• U of M Football Tickets
• Detroit Tigers Tickets
• Tickets to Tibbits Opera House, Great Escape Stage Co. and The Franke Center
• Battle Creek Battle Jacks Baseball Group Outing for 50 in the Bud Light Dog House
• Kalamazoo Growlers Baseball Group Outing for 50 seating in the third base grandstand
• Bowling team for 4 in the Drew Stanton High 5ive Foundation Celebrity Bowling Challenge    
• Donated by FUG – a package for 100 T-Shirts for family reunion, business outing
• Vehicle packages for service  by Boshears Ford and DeNooyer Chevrolet

View all items.

 “This event has successfully raised over $2.5 million over the years, benefiting countless people in our community,” Lake said. “We’re confident that we’re seeing the same level of support this year and that we’ll continue to make a difference together.”