From concerts and private tours to getaways and dining experiences, the Rotary Club of Santa Barbara Sunrise’s turns holiday giving into a community fundraiser with its online auction, Nov. 9-18.
Bidding opens at 8 a.m. Monday, Nov. 9 and closes at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 18 at https://paybee.io/@sbrotary@7.
The auction offers nearly 70 donated items and experiences from local businesses and community supporters.
All proceeds will help fund service projects and humanitarian efforts in Santa Barbara and around the world.
“We’re bringing together experiences you can’t always buy, while giving people a fun and meaningful way to make a difference,” said Angelique Springer Davis, president of Rotary Club of Santa Barbara Sunrise.
“Every winning bid helps us create opportunities and improve lives,” she said. “Santa Barbara is an incredibly generous community, and this auction is a wonderful reflection of that spirit.”
Among the auction’s offerings are:
● Private Mission Tour with Father Larry: A personal guided tour of one of Santa Barbara’s most historic landmarks.
● Be a KEYT-TV Weather presenter: Go behind the scenes and deliver the weather on camera.
● Camp Whittier Wilderness Getaway: A two-night cabin stay with meals and outdoor adventures for up to seven guests.
● Behind the Scenes at The Granada Theatre: A tour of one of Santa Barbara’s cultural landmarks.
● Wine Country Adventures: All-inclusive wine tour for four with Rockstar Tours or an elevated SAMsARA tasting for six.
● Private Barbershop Quartet Performance: Bring the joy of live four-part harmony to your next celebration.
● A Magical Night at the Madonna Inn: An overnight escape at this iconic Central Coast destination.
Other items include: Santa Barbara International Film Festival experiences; theater and opera tickets; a private birding excursion; original artwork; five-course French dinner for four; family outings to the Santa Barbara Zoo and MOXI; gift baskets, and gift certificates from local restaurants and massage therapists.
Auction proceeds support Rotary’s year-round efforts to strengthen communities, invest in young people and improve lives locally and internationally, organizers said.
“These experiences may be extraordinary, but the real gift is the difference every bid makes in someone’s life,” Springer Davis said. “Together, we’re investing in our youth, supporting families in need and creating opportunities that make our community stronger.”
Over the past year, the Rotary Club of Santa Barbara Sunrise has helped create a therapeutic space for children at Sanctuary Centers of Santa Barbara; supported marine education through Explore Ecology; provided bicycles and safety helmets to local children; and invested in scholarships, literacy and youth leadership programs.
Internationally, the club supported vision care and wheelchair distribution in Mexico, clean water infrastructure in Nicaragua and hunger relief through Rise Against Hunger.
The auction is made possible by local businesses, organizations and individuals who donated items and experiences, along with sponsors who underwrote the fundraiser’s expenses.
“Thanks to their support, 100% of every winning bid will directly support Rotary’s charitable work,” the club said.
Thanks to sponsors Smith & Ortiz, Donna Hathaway and Steve Samuel, with support from Karen Kawaguchi, Judith McCaffrey and Kathleen Rogers, Realtor, eXp Luxury DRE #02044953, and media sponsors Noozhawk, Santa Barbara News-Press, and EdHat.
The Rotary Club of Santa Barbara Sunrise brings together local business, professional and civic leaders committed to service and community.
Members support education, youth development, community well-being and humanitarian initiatives locally and around the world. Learn more at www.sbsunriserotary.org.