Every year for the last 10 years (with slight interruptions for a small hiatus in the last two years) Elisabetta and I have joined a series of close friends(of which one of the original organisers and house provider Carlo Sigon – the man in the photo below) typically on the week after Christmas and run a Charity Event which consists of the following rules:

1. Bring three objects or gifts that you would like to get rid of. (typical stuff that you might have received and that you never found a place in the house for, an old object that is in the back of the garage that you noticed the other day and want to get rid of or you don’t use, etc.)

2. All these objects are placed on a big table for all to see. The person that brings the object puts a starting bid price after which people can increase and try to outbid the other participates usually on the basis of one euro increases (roughly a dollar and twenty cents).

3. If nobody wins the bid the person that put the price on the object has to re-buy it back at the price he indicated for the object. This is called a classic “boomerang” for obvious reasons.

This year we decided to do it in February since most of our friends were gone for the Holidays. Our dear friend Michele Rossi (in the photo) acts as auctioneer doing a great justice to the presentation of each item with comedy like approach that truly makes him a master (specially considering that he is an architect and their is a famous Italian comedian/actor in the group).

What started out as a small group of friends having an excuse to get together, drink and laugh has with time turned into a major event with more than 40 people in attendance and proceeds close to 2000$. Last night was no exception as you can see in the following photos.

Once we finish the Yearly Charity Event, a mailing list is generated and we pass the votes towards which charities to assign the proceeds in the following weeks. A great idea and tradition that is for a great cause and unifies friends on a fun evening!

[socialWarfare]