Memphis-based Roebuck Auctions announced Tuesday a partnership with the Community Foundation of Northwest Mississippi aimed at raising thousands of dollars for Gulf Coast hurricane victims.
“Auctioneers across the country have been raising millions and millions of dollars for needs like this and this is no exception,” said John Roebuck, owner of Memphis-based Roebuck Auctions. “We’re going to step forward and make the commitment to get all the National Auctioneers Association members involved and make this the biggest event to ever happen in the United States.”
The NAA goal for Gulf Relief ’05, the official name of the fund-raising effort, is $10 million. The assocation has asked its 7,000 NAA members in the United States, Canada, Australia and South Africa to participate in the fund-raiser by holding auctions of donated items proceeds benefiting Hurricane Katrina victims, said Roebuck the former NAA president.
Locally, the live auction will be held Sept. 23 and Sept. 24 at the DeSoto Civic Center and the money raised will go to the Community Foundation of Northwest Mississippi. Foundation president Tom Pittman said the non-profit will make the money available to those in need in Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama.
“The needs for relief are changing daily and even hourly,” Pittman said. “Our board of directors will look closely at where the need is and make sure 100 percent of this money goes to the victims where ever they are.”
The local auction also will feature donated items like vacation packages, real estate and furniture, Roebuck said adding “any item can be donated, there is no item too small.”
In an effort to raise awareness about the local event, six local news station meteorologists have agreed to promote the event on-air and at various speaking engagements. Ron Childers and Tim Van Horn with WMC-TV 5, Tim Simpson and Todd Demers with WREG News Channel 3, Joey Sulipeck with WHBQ-TV FOX 13 and Brian Teiglan with Eyewitness News 24 and UPN 30 have signed on to the project.
Dick Hackett, DeSoto County Convention and Visitors Bureau board member and former mayor of Memphis, is the official spokesperson for the local arm of Gulf Relief ’05.
Donations for the auction will be collected in Memphis and DeSoto County beginning Sept. 15 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., Roebuck said. Donation collections will end at noon on Sept. 23.
In DeSoto County, donations
For more information about how to donated items for the auction call the Gulf Relief ’05 hotline at 662-470-2122.

Posted: 09|15|05 at 10:31 am. Filed under: US News.