Chair Auction for CARE

The chair caning project has concluded.  The project ended with 22 chairs donated for auction to support Escapee CARE click.  Bob and Barb Derflinger organized the project for the second year in a row with all proceeds donated to CARE.  Here are these fine and generous people with photos of the completed chairs made by volunteers here at Rainbow Plantation:

The small rocker that Donna caned (chair number 9) brought in a $115 bid and was sold to her acquaintance, Lee:

Lee owns a lot here at Rainbow with a small stick house on it.  She and Arly thought it would fit perfectly in their new sun room.  The couple also bought a second rocker for the same room.

Only Escapee members could bid on the many chairs available.  Neighbors of ours in the campground (in a small class B and from Ontario) had the highest bid on another chair.  The couple donated the chair back for auction.  The second time around a teddy bear was added to the chair.  Another member bid $500 on the chair but only wanted the hand-made teddy bear.  The chair was re-auctioned and in total brought in over $1000!

The event was a huge success.  $4200 was raised at this auction with all proceeds going to CARE.  In the last two years, the Derflinger's caning project raised $6000 for care.  This year's event will be covered in an upcoming issue of the ESCAPEES magazine.  Watch for it.

And the saga continues.  Plans are already in the works for a similar project for next year.  Donna found a small chair in need of a caned seat at a local flea market.  The $5 price tag was acceptable, and it too has been donated for next year's project.  One of the permanent residents has offered a storage room and this chair was placed until next year's project becomes reality.  Over the last two years the Derflingers have not only volunteered their time and talents to this project, but also out of pocket expenses for chairs and caning supplies.  Next year will be different.  A member has donated a Seiko wall clock with all sorts of crystals and sounds, etc, to the park.  The park in returned raffled off the clock to park guests.  $400 was raised in the raffle and all was donated to the Derflingers to cover their chair and cane costs for the upcoming year.

Now all that is needed are more motivated bidders in 2013.