Sitting at her kitchen table surrounded by items donated by local businesses, Leona Glidden is confident that the annual Together Days auction will be another great success.
For the fourth year in a row, Glidden is the driving force behind the auction, which serves as the major fundraiser for future Together Days festivals.
The auction begins on Saturday, June 2, at noon in Riverbank Park. Glidden said School Superintendent Stan Sawyer and Al Juniewicz will once again serve as auctioneers.
With just over two weeks to go before the big day, Glidden said she already has about 125 items, but she expects that number to grow significantly. “I’ve got quite a few more things coming in,” she said.
The auction items are spread all over Glidden’s Spring Street home, everything from a large Gatorade drink cooler to several toy trucks and much more. Glidden said there are a wealth of gift certificates as well, running the gamut from certificates from the Clambake Restaurant in Scarborough to tickets to the Portland Sea Dogs.
Last year, the auction raised more than $4,000, despite a rainy day that kept the crowds down. Despite the weather, the auction ran over four hours, wrapping up sometime after 4 p.m. Glidden said the unseasonable weather made for less than optimal conditions. “It was cold,” she said. “We all had cold feet.”
Glidden said she hoped the weather would cooperate this year. Warm, sunny days would help raise more than last year’s total. All of the money raised from the auction will go to the Westbrook Chamber of Commerce to help pay for Together Days.
Glidden starts preparing for the annual auction well in advance of Together Days. This year, she began soliciting donations at the end of March. Not content to trust the U.S. Mail, Glidden said she prefers the personal touch, delivering her requests for donations by hand. “It’s a long route,” Glidden said with a laugh.
Despite all the hard work putting the auction together, Glidden said she enjoys it. “It’s a lot of fun,” she said. “You meet a lot of great people.
Westbrook Together Days Auction Chairwoman Leona Glidden sits in her Spring Street kitchen with a sampling of the items that will be available at the annual Together Days Auction on June 2.Send questions/comments to the editors.
