Donors and bidders spark successful JD Foundation Auction

Observer photo/Mike Lange  BIDDERS DELIGHT — The tent filled up quickly at the third annual JD Foundation Auction in Abbot Saturday afternoon.

By Mike Lange

Staff Writer

 ABBOT — The bidding was hot, heavy and humorous at times.

 Everything from $5 jade plants to $1,500 vacation packages to Bar Harbor went on the auction block at the third annual JD Foundation Auction in Abbot Saturday.

 Auctioneer Paul Davis, taking a long-anticipated break from his Maine Senate duties, kept the action moving, spiced with some Yankee humor. “You’re going to let him outbid you by a dollar? Come on. Dig a little deeper,” he joked.

 By the time the gavel fell for the last time, nearly $8,000 was raised for the nonprofit organization, according to founder Cheryl Morin. “We have a few items left, but we also have some people interested in them,” she said. “Anything left over we can put out in a yard sale this fall. But it was a very successful day. The support from the donors and the business community was wonderful.”

 Morin also said that the sunny weather definitely helped the turnout. “Last year, we were wearing sweatshirts,” she said.

  Morin and her husband, Victor, started the JD Foundation eight years ago after their son William “Jody” Day took his life at age 19.

  The organization is dedicated to suicide awareness and prevention for adults, veterans and their families, and the money raised from the auction helps Morin get her message out to a greater number of people.

 One of them is Karen Foggin of Wilmington, Del., who has a summer home in Abbot. “My son served in Afghanistan and he’s really had some problems adjusting,” Foggin said. “Cheryl has helped me tremendously.”

 Foggin bought one of the “mystery boxes” with unspecified contents for $40. “It was worth it,” she said. “Plus, there was a $25 gift certificate inside.”

 Davis estimated that he’s helped raise about $2 million in charity auctions over the past 20 years “and I’ve never charged anyone a penny. Cheryl and Victor are doing a wonderful job with this organization.”

 Tony Campbell of Kenduskeag was busy at the grill flipping burgers and hot dogs, donated by the Abbot Superette, during the early part of the auction. “I have a Ph.D. in grill-ology,” he joked. “So this is my contribution to the auction.” Volunteers Brooke Kujawski of Parkman and Barbara Jones of Newport also helped at the concession.

 Campbell is a Junior ROTC instructor at Brewer High School as well as a volunteer for the JD Foundation. “So I’m dealing with youth all the time. This organization means more to me than anything else,” he said.

 Morin said that even after eight years, many people still aren’t familiar with the foundation or its mission. “But quite often, we’re the first ones to respond when tragedy hits a family,” she said.

 More information including some of the services offered is at www.thejdfoundation.org and The JD Foundation Facebook page.

Observer photo/Mike Lange

 BIG SELECTION — There was something for everybody in every price range at the JD Foundation Auction in Abbot Saturday. Some of the most popular items were furniture and collectibles.

Observer photo/Mike Lange

 GOING, GOING — Auctioneer Paul Davis takes bids on a pair of garden statues at Saturday’s JD Foundation auction, assisted by Steve Chase.

Observer photo/Mike Lange

 POPULAR ITEM — A hand-crafted metal and wood stand with a moose design fetched a $300 bid at Saturday’s JD Foundation auction.