Harvest of Opportunities Benefit Auction

PARKERSBURG - A fiddle autographed by country superstar Charlie Daniels will be among more than a record 525 donations to be offered at the SW Resources 30th annual Harvest of Opportunities Benefit Auction on Aug. 27.

The auction this year is dedicated to Sammy Burdette for 40 years of dedicated service to the nonprofit community-based rehabilitation facility. Burdette will be retiring in January 2012.

Last year the auction netted about $95,900 for the agency. The goal this year is the $100,000 that Burdette always wanted to see the event raise.

"We want to make Sammy proud, and the community has been very generous. We have a phenomenal number of donations this year," said Ben Summers, SW Resources marketing and sales manager.

Auction items will include a number of framed prints, home decorating items, paintings, jewelry, antiques and collectibles, including Fenton and Boyds Bears, china, furniture, Lenox, Goebel, Longaberger, clothing and accessories. There also will be gift cards for area restaurants and entertainment, a 52-inch LED television and theater tickets. Also there will be home furnishing and accessories, as well as services such as eye exams and gift certificates for auto services, car washes, carpet cleaning, photo services, spa packages, car rentals, computer service, hair services.

There will be tools, trips, including one night and breakfast at Mardi Gras Casino & Resort; Potomac Eagle tickets; celebrity items, including CDs and DVDs from several artists, autographed memorabilia, autographed posters and photos, sports celebrity items.

There will also be one night at The Homestead in Virginia, a stay at a Canaan Valley Resort condo, a helmet signed by the West Virginia University 2006 football team, a bouquet of flowers for a year; family vacation at Bear Claw Adventure Park; WVU-P fall tuition waiver, tickets to the Memorial Golf Tournament at Muirfield Village in Columbus; 12 new Simonton Windows; handcrafted rocking chair; two nights at The Greenbrier; handmade quilts; Middleton Dolls, Pirates baseball tickets; two WVU season passes; Elvis memorabilia, and a limited edition WVU-themed end table.

For a complete list of the items that will be offered for auction, go online to www.harvestofopportunities.com.

The auction will be held at the Blennerhassett Hotel, 320 Market St. The silent auction will be conducted from 5-7 p.m., with the live auction beginning at 7:15 p.m.

SW Resources provides employment opportunities and vocational services to 210 client-employees with disabilities. The client-employee wages was $1.5 million, a record high, said Gloria Cox, CEO for SW Resources.

"We are celebrating our 30th year of hosting this wonderful event, raising money for SW Resources to help maintain, improve and create programs for individuals with disabilities. Also this year we are excited to dedicate this auction to our own Sammy Burdette. Celebrating her 40 years of devoted service to SW Resources and in honor of her upcoming retirement," Cox said.

"The community has been very generous to us over the years," said Dan Cooper, who has volunteered for 25 years with the agency and serves on the auction committee. "We rely on this auction to raise funds for the programs, as a nonprofit organization."

Admission is $30 a person and includes food and beverages.

For more information, for tickets or to make a donation, call SW Resources at 304-428-6344 or email info@swresources.com.

This year's event sponsors are Harry and Kathe Deitzler, the Wood County Commission, Anonymous, Highmark West Virginia, Professional Services of America Inc., WesBanco, WoodCraft and WTAP.