Auction-Heirs

Auction-Heirs

Who We Are

The Auction-Heirs is a group of volunteers who assist residents and/or their families who, for various reasons, need to dispose of their household belongings. Anyone who wishes to request a sale may contact any committee member.

What We Do

At the request of a resident and/or family member (the Sellers), we meet to explain our role and the sale process and to determine if a sale is feasible. When both parties wish to proceed, the Auction-Heirs and the Sellers enter into a written Agreement that defines responsibilities, procedures & expectations and establishes that the Sellers receive 80% of the sale revenues and 20% goes into the Auction-Heirs Treasury within the Club Hawthorne Program Account.

Our goal is to realize the maximum return for the Sellers. To that end, the committee spends countless hours of preparations that include: obtaining necessary permits, advertising and promoting the sale, sorting, organizing, displaying and pricing hundreds of items in the home prior to the sale day. It is not uncommon for our members to clean and/or repair items to be offered for sale.

For the Committee, the sale day begins at 6:30 AM at the Clubhouse when numbers are distributed to potential buyers who wait in line, sometimes for several hours, to be among the first group to receive numbered “admission tickets” to the sale. Numbers are also distributed at the house beginning at 7:00 AM. At sale time, buyers line up at the house in numerical order where, for efficiency and safety and depending on the size and layout of the home, small groups are allowed entry at a time. Additional volunteers are recruited for sale day to assist the committee and the buyers with sales, traffic and parking.

The actual sale hours are 8:30 AM to 11:30 AM during which time shoppers may purchase items, as priced, on a cash and carry basis. A “Bid Box” is available for shoppers to submit a written, reasonable bid on items priced $25.00 and over. At the end of the sale, the committee reviews all offers and notifies the successful bidders. The Committee often continues to work well into the afternoon to clean up and to arrange, facilitate and assist with the disposition of unsold items, as directed by the sellers. This also allows time for buyers, who must enlist their own help, to return to pick up large purchases.

What We’ve Done

The Auction-Heirs have served Hawthorne residents since 1999. Since our inception, we have conducted over 200 sales that have earned approximately $360,000 for the Sellers and over $90,000 for the community. The committee meets regularly to determine the distribution of the treasury monies in accordance with our stipulation that donations are given toward projects and/or activities that benefit Hawthorne residents. With that in mind, some of the larger awards have included:

  • Front Gate Security System $9,000.00
  • Heavy Duty Washing Machine $2,275.00
  • Landscape improvements and Curbing $7,755.00
  • Bingo Machine $2,200.00
  • Fence for Garden area $4,510.00
  • Copy Machine $3,000.00
  • Picnic Pavilion $5,000.00
  • Gift toward Kitchen Renovation $1,000.00
  • Lighting for Flagpole $1,452.00
  • Shed for Rummage Sale $3,004.00
  • Sound System $5,000.00
  • Cabinets for Gallery $4,410.00
  • Sago Palm Infrastructure $1,696.13
  • Automatic Door in Clubhouse $ 537.00
  • Restrooms on west side of river $10,000.00
  • VFW Auxiliary for Soldiers $1,500.00
  • Library for books and supplies $1,000.00

In addition, over the past 15 years, many other donations have been made, including monies for the purchase of new American Flags for use in the medians, furniture and coffee machine for the Hospitality Room, contributions to the Leesburg High School Band for their performances in Hawthorne, and uniforms for the VFW Honor Guard.

What You Can Do

Support our sales by being a shopper, by volunteering to help and/or by spreading the word about our services. We are available to conduct sales year round. If you or someone you know needs more information or wishes to request a sale, our current contact information is listed in the Hawthorne Monthly Program Calendar.

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