Celebrating over thirty years of fundraising: SAF National Convention annual silent auction and raffle
August 9, 2024
WASHINGTON, D.C.— Ask around SAF, “What’s your favorite event at our annual convention?” and the responses will vary. There are special moments unique to each year that we all remember and speakers that impact us differently. With convention programming designed to encompass the full scope of forestry and natural resources management, we all end up with an itinerary as unique as we are, following our passions and interests throughout the week. But we all agree one of the most fun experiences we have each year is at the annual silent auction.
What to expect at the silent auction
Perusing rare books, fine woodworking, and relic forestry tools, attendees might feel like they’ve stumbled into an antique store curated just for them. But some items that turn up on the tables at the annual silent auction might surprise you, like three fine bottles of Old Forester Whiskey; a hand-pulled tree ring print from a 100+ year-old Vermont Ash tree, felled by Emerald Ash Borers; a Lego portrait of SAF founder, Gifford Pinchot; or a guided fishing trip with past SAF president, Gene Kodama. The surprise is part of the fun. You never know what you’re going to get, and that's just one of the reasons the auction has been a fixture of SAF National Convention for so long.
A short history of the silent auction and raffle
By 1992, a raffle to raise money for the Foresters Fund was well-established as a yearly tradition at SAF National Convention. In 2003, the Science Fund (now Kurt Gottschalk Science Fund) was introduced to support Communities of Interest, and the silent auction and raffle soon became a pillar of support for these two funds. On average, the event raises between $7,000 and $10,000, supporting the forest science and forestry education programs.
The silent auction and raffle offers attendees an easy way to make an impact
The funds raised from raffle tickets and auction proceeds bolster some of SAF’s core granting programs. The proceeds are split equally between the Foresters Fund and the Kurt Gottschalk Science Fund (KGSF). The Foresters Fund provides grants of $2,000 and $5,000 for projects that promote forestry education and enhance public understanding of forest management. Designed to back grassroots projects and activities, the grants are distributed to SAF local units to maximize our impact at the community level. KGSF offers grants of up to $5,000, supporting research and technology transfer projects and continuing education initiatives for professionals and the public. KGSF also gives awards to the top student posters and presentations at National Convention. In 2023, KGSF awarded $1,700 to 6 students.
To put it in perspective: in a typical year, the proceeds raised by the silent auction and raffle can support four to five Foresters Fund grants, or two KGSF awards, and over 30 student poster presentations.
Looking ahead to SAF2024
This year, the SAF National Convention will take place September 17-20 in Loveland, Colorado, and will feature some exciting updates to the traditional silent auction. We’ve set the goal of raising $10,000 through silent auction proceeds and raffle contributions. This is an ambitious target, but we’re confident it’s feasible considering the support and excitement we’ve already received in response to this year’s convention. SAF2024 will also see the return of our raffle, a convention tradition paused last year. This year, participants will have the chance to win a chainsaw carving of Smokey Bear, crafted by an artist on-site, and other prizes.
Veteran convention attendees will notice a few new features designed to improve their silent auction experience. We are excited to introduce mobile bidding, allowing participants to bid and receive auction notifications directly from their phones. This feature along with a real-time leaderboard will ensure seamless bidding while nourishing the friendly competitive spirit the auction has become known for. (Of course, attendees may continue to place bids in person at a kiosk with the help of our volunteers.)
How to get involved
To ensure we reach our fundraising goal, we are still seeking items to include in the auction. Some of the most popular donations we receive are vintage and contemporary forestry and natural resources books, forestry and outdoor apparel, gift cards, maps, posters, and other publications. While items that represent our profession are popular with bidders, we also love items representing our members, and these items are often even more cherished by winners. Handcrafted items like artwork, gift baskets, carved or turned wood objects, jewelry, and quilts are especially popular.
For detailed information on how to contribute an item, please visit the auction webpage.
Don’t have an item to donate? You can still contribute!
For those attending this year’s National Convention, you can show your support (and win one-of-a-kind items) by purchasing raffle tickets, bidding at the silent auction, and donating directly to the Foresters and Science Funds during the event.
Register to attend the 2024 SAF National Convention.