June 1, 2009


Each year, the annual Ocrafolk Festival kicks off with a “Meet-the-Performers” potluck at the Community Center, followed by a rowdy and raucous fundraising auction. Auctioneer Philip Howard presides over a selection of items donated by local businesses and individuals and festival artisans. Everyone has a great time and the non-profit festival makes some money.

Over the years, the auction committee has noticed that the items that people want most and will get into (friendly) bidding wars over are one-of-a-kind sentimental items that are special to Ocracoke.

So this year, the committee has redesigned the auction and sought out some creative and unusual auction donations. Committee members Amy Howard and Susan Dodd described the changes as a way to minimize the financial impact on local businesses, while providing bidders with unique services and island mementoes.

“We want to focus on Ocracoke history and have things in the auction that have more meaning for people,” Howard said.

“We’ve collected mementoes of much-loved Ocracokers, past and present,” said Dodd.

Examples of these sentimental remembrances include the late Clinton Gaskill’s fez from his membership in the Masons and a folk doll handmade by the late Mildred “Babe” Bryant. Howard has donated a potted fig tree that’s an offshoot of the one tended by her late grandfather, Lawton Howard. Donations keep arriving as folks get into the spirit of recycling and renewing their attic treasures.

“We know that the same local people donate year after year, and this year we tried to have a minimal impact on their pocketbooks,” Howard said. “It’s a kind of recycling – things that are languishing in attics can find good homes.”

Not all of the auction items are things – some are services of all sorts.

“There’s an incredible wealth of talent here on Ocracoke,” said Dodd. “And providing services or giving lessons are ways people can donate their time.”

Up for bid are house cleaning services, handyman services, dog-sitting, knitting lessons, a clamming expedition, a dessert-of-the-month club and much more. Music lovers can choose from a private Ocracoke Jazz Society house concert at the venue of their choice or commission an original song from Fiddler David Tweedie.

The auction will also include pieces of pottery, baskets, jewelry and artwork from festival artisans and items made by local folks just for the occasion. Some examples are a boat model made by Edward Carlson O’Neal, lighthouse pillows by Cindy Hichens, and a Roy Parsons memorial necklace by Susan Dodd. Photographer George Brown has donated “Ocracoke Off-Season,” a coffee-table book of his beautiful photos from the past winter.

There’s something for everyone at the Ocrafolk Festival fundraising auction, and the organizers hope many people will come out and support a good cause. The potluck starts at 6 p.m., followed by the auction at 7:30pm on Friday, June 5.

For more information and a complete list of auction items, see www.ocrafolkfestival.org

 

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