New auction, new items, new fun!

ODESSA – The annual wine-tasting, microbrew sampling and auctions of the Odessa Healthcare Foundation has gone virtual this year due to Covid restrictions imposed by government entities. Sara (Fink) Dirks, a member of the Foundation’s board of directors, has provided information on the live auction items available at omhf.maestroweb.com.

“A year after the world shut down, a lot of things are still different,” she says. “That doesn’t mean that we haven’t found new ways to have fun, though, and this year’s virtual Odessa Healthcare Foundation auction will be a new experience for everyone.”

Silent auction bidding begins Saturday, May 1 at 10 a.m., and live-auction bidding begins Thursday, May 6, at 10 a.m., with the live final bids starting at 6:30 p.m. Friday, May 7. Donors have provided one-of-a-kind items, group getaways and merchandise for this year’s auction.

One-of-a-kind items include three beautifully crafted quilts, perfect for Mother’s Day gifts or to refresh a home. These quilts were fashioned by the late Alva Richardson (donated by her daughters Lora Zimprich and Janet Wright) and quilted by Patricia Gies and Lise Ott. Mandi Braun has also donated a unique piece, a handcrafted hall tree and bench.

“Group getaways are always popular and, although things are still very different when it comes to travel, getting out and enjoying your surroundings is good for your health,” says Dirks. The Nursing and Activities & Social Services Departments of the medical community are donating a Leavenworth Winter Wonderland package. Four lucky people will be able to visit the Leavenworth Reindeer Farm and enjoy a private one-horse sleigh ride through forest and meadow in crisp mountain air (December 3, 4, 5, 2021), then end the evening with a stroll through downtown Leavenworth with a $200 VISA card to spend at the shops and restaurants before they cozy up by the fireplace in a king room to enjoy a beautiful mountain view.

Odessa Drug and the law firm of McGuire, DeWulf, Kraft & Johnson, PS., have donated a four-hour Walla Walla wine-tasting tour where a group of friends or family can enjoy being chauffeured around in a limo. After seeing the wineries among the vineyards, two rooms for the night await at the Marcus Whitman Hotel, from where your group can walk to many additional wineries. The accounting firm Leffel, Otis & Warwick has donated a night at the Coeur d’Alene Resort with two adult daily scenic cruise passes, plus a $150 dining credit at one of the Resort’s many fine-dining establishments.

For lovers of the outdoors there are a number of different options, including an inflatable kayak/stand-up paddle board donated by Barbara Schlimmer, a 22-inch Blackstone Grill with The Herd 5C meat and accessories donated by Wes and Vickey Melcher, and a camping (or tailgating) lot full of all the necessities. Or go camping with chairs, firepit, games and more donated by Odessa’s EMTs and the Odessa Trading Company.

There is also some great merchandise to bid on in the live auction. “If you’re anything like us,” says Dirks, “this past year you may have noticed all of those areas of your home that have been a little neglected.” There is a #cleaningarmy starter kit, that also includes a Shark S2 Navigator Life-Away Professional Upright Vacuum and BISSELL SpotClean ProHeat Spot and Stain Carpet Cleaner, along with all of the cleaning products. Other great finds include a Cabela’s 10-gun safe donated by the Stumpjumpers Motorcycle Club and, for a college-bound student or to fill a man cave, a 7th Generation 32GB Apple iPad, 3.1 cu ft mini fridge with separate freezer, plus many must-have items donated by the Grange Supply Co. of Odessa and Perfection Tire.

For a full list of auction items and packages, including both live and silent auction items, visit the auction website at omhf.maestroweb.com.