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The 42 Clubs of Rotary District 7410 have joined forced with Trellis.org, an interactive fundraising platform, for a virtual auction that features scores of items up for bidding. These items are donated by generous individuals, businesses and member Rotary Clubs throughout the 10 counties of this district. This silent auction, which runs from Monday, Feb. 1, through Sunday, March 14, offers an impressive array of items and experiences that include, just for starters, vacation/getaway packages, skiing on Elk Mountain, a VIP golf reservation for a foursome in a summer golf tournament, jewelry, tickets to professional baseball and hockey games and the services of an attorney who will execute a will for you and your significant other.

The impact of the ongoing pandemic made 2020 a challenge for civic and nonprofit organizations to raise the funds they have in the past for worthwhile community and international humanitarian causes. For Rotary Clubs it meant a summer with no fundraisers dependent on drawing thousands of people, even those held outdoors.

Trellis.org is providing the platform that would allow thousands of people from all over the region and state to attend an auction without leaving their homes during the darkest and coldest weeks of winter where both the coronavirus and the weather are encouraging us to stay home as much as possible. It required the hard work of Rotarians throughout District 7410, which includes Northeastern and Northcentral Pennsylvania (the Northern Tier), rounding up practical items, jewelry, art, fun experiences and services for bidders.

That coordinated effort is continuing through January right up to the start of the auction, with the goal of raising $140,000. More than three-quarters of that ($110,000) goes toward future grants attained through the Rotary Foundation for projects in our communities. That remaining $30,000 will go toward the eradication of polio worldwide, an iconic and hugely successful Rotary mission, and that goal is 99.9 percent completed with only Afghanistan and Pakistan left to finish the job.

Designated District Grants help fund local community projects or in matching funds for global projects. Every county has multiple communities who have benefited from these grants.

The Rotary Foundation has a tradition of reliability in supporting worthy causes as evidenced by a four-star rating by Charity Navigator for 13 years in a row. Successful DDG grant applications so far in the 2020-21 Rotary year, which continues until July 1, 2021, reflect how COVID-19 initiatives have benefited communities in this large geographic district.

Those projects have, among other things, made nursing homes safer and healthier; provided warm winter coats for needy children; provided PPE and sanitizing equipment to libraries and community health centers; provided food and shelter for the homeless; equipped police departments and ambulance units with essential equipment, and the list goes on.

Visit Trellis.org/RotaryAuction for a look at the variety of items up for bid. Once the bidding starts on February 1, 2021, bidders and prospective bidders may return to the site for a real-time appraisal of the bidding for items of interest until the bidding ends at 5 p.m. on March 14.

For those who would like to join their local Rotary club’s membership in such projects as mentioned here, go to https://www.rotary.org/en/get-involved/join.