The Alternative Break (AB) Silent Auction was held in the Gallagher Student Center (GSC) from Wednesday, Jan. 30 to Thursday, Jan. 31. It was held during the annual AB week, which promotes awareness of AB.
The auction was held on the entire first floor of GSC.
Total, there were over 200 bids on the 38 baskets.
AB received a lot of acclaim for the amount of baskets, the style and presentation as well as the content of the baskets this year.
The top prizes were three vintage guitars and a keyboard which went for over $600 total.
The money raised through the auction flows in all directions for individual AB trips.
If certain AB groups had not yet met their fundraising goals, money from the auction will be split evenly to those sites.
On the same token, the money raised can also be spread between groups who have met their fundraising goals.
For example, the Orphanage Outreach AB group had already met their fundraising goals prior to the auction, but they also are receiving some of the money from the auction in order to bring children in the Dominican Republic school supplies.
Compared to last year, AB had a few more baskets this year and made about the same amount of money.
However AB didn’t have any site leaders work the auction this year, only the AB Board worked in order to alleviate the time commitments from the site leaders.
When asked how the AB board felt about the auction, and about finishing AB week, junior Markus Lasky said, “This is always AB’s best on-campus fundraiser as it promotes our club, the mission and what we do, and provides each trip with an awesome bonding experience to create these baskets. AB Board was very pleased with the results of this election because it completed all of our goals. Finally, AB partnered with Gentleman Organized for Achievment and Leadership (G.O.A.L.) and Ladies wirh Emphasis and Achievment and Distinction (L.E.A.D.) on Friday night to have a Valentine’s Dance which really ended off the week with style.”
Tuesday, June 24, 2025