Last year our inaugural WCWF Silent Auction and Fundraiser was a great success, so we’re doing it again.

It’s set for Tuesday, November 7, 2023 beginning at 6:00 p.m. at The Art Center in Grand Junction. Doors open at 5:45 p.m. so you can take a look at auction items, get a beverage, eat a slice, and enjoy guitar music.

Join us for a night of fun, refreshments, and a little bit of holiday shopping while you bid on an array of fabulous auction items. By night’s end, you will be entertained, refreshed, and the proud owner of something new – or winner of a gift card because you’re the Royalty of Trivia Knowledge.

We’re plying you with food and drink so register today at the top of this page so we know how much to get.

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Musician Jake Johnson is joining us again! We loved him and he loved us last year.

He’ll play as we set up, during intermissions, and at the end as we hand over auction items to our wonderful supporters.

“Western Colorado native Jake Johnson has performed for a variety of audiences all across Colorado for over 17 years. A former jazz and classical musician, his influences range widely and can be heard in his style. He enjoys biking, going to movies, playing in the mountains, and traveling.”

Schedule 
5:45 p.m.  Doors open; bidding starts; music; food and beverages

6:00 p.m.  Emcee announcements and fun stuff

6:05 p.m.  The bard himself, English playwright, poet, and actor William Shakespeare, is opening our night of festivities!

6:15 p.m.  Intermission, bidding wars, food and beverage consumption, music

6:25 p.m.  Joke Junction Comedy Set

6:45 p.m.  Intermission, last chance to bid, more consumption, music

7:00 p.m.  Trivia Wizard James Van Pelt

Last year, some (non-writer) attendees were not sure about joining our Writer Trivia Game, but they loved it! We’ll break into teams of 5 people each (the number per team may change); winning team members earn gift cards

7:25 p.m.  Emcee announces winners of bid items; winners pay by cash, check, or charge; winners skip merrily home with items in hand tra-la-la, and everybody is happy

More details…

New this year: a photo booth! Get wild, get silly, get pics with you and your friends. Bring your best funny hats if you want.

Back again: Table o’ Books – $2 for paperbacks, $3 for hardbacks.

Pablo’s Pizza is delivering to the event once again! Every slice was gone before the end of the night last year. The WCWF president never did get to have a bite.

Joke Junction Standup Comedy will be there! The founder Emilie Stickley gave a great workshop last year on comedy writing.

Trivia Wizard James Van Pelt is in the house! He’s our emcee for our  Writer Trivia Contest. Teams will compete. Prizes will be won. Fun will be had. But only if you show up…

Donations we’ve secured (so far) for your bidding pleasure:

• Greeting cards by artist and poet Wendy Videlock, Western Slope Poet Laureate
• Handcrafted quilted Christmas table runner (popular last year)
• Gift certificate for a free pour at Candle Kitchen in downtown Grand Junction
• Dog grooming gift certificates from HBJ’s Grooming (popular last year!)
• Enstrom’s Gift Basket
• Spa Gift Basket
• Willow Creek Gift Basket
• Wine Gift Basket (I mean we love our gift baskets)
• Beer Gift Basket
• Banned Book Basket
• $100 gift certificate for Grand Mesa Lodge
• 90-minute massage gift certificate from Olive You Therapeutics
• Gift certificate from Penguin Pest Control for one service
• From Out West Books: The Creative Act: A Way of Being book by Rick Rubin
• A large basket filled with items from Carol’s Oriental Foods created by our own Mary Watson (popular last year)
• A professional photography session with Josh Hall
• Gift basket from Alida’s in Palisade
• Jewelry: necklace and bracelet from DarcMoon
• NINE SETS of lovely handmade holiday greeting cards from one of our Wednesday morning Writer Chicks (went fast in 2022)
• Gift set donated by local poet Jill Burkey
• An American flag with a story
• A decadent Pina Colada Cheesecake
• A never-used Mont Blanc Pen
• A beautiful vintage hand-tooled leather briefcase in excellent condition

Why are we holding this fundraiser?

YOU. You are the reason we’re pulling this together.

We’re happy to report steadily increasing attendance at Writer’s Night events, critique groups, and happy hours. We’d like to continue offering these opportunities plus expand our programming for writers on Colorado’s Western Slope, and it takes dollars to make it all happen.

The WCWF runs on grants with strict spending guidelines, donations, and sweat equity with an all-volunteer board and community members who help out. Grants tell us we can’t spend their money on room rentals or our lovely bookkeeper.

The not-sexy stuff keeps us going: auction proceeds go to operational expenses that include rent, bookkeeping, website maintenance, marketing efforts, incidentals, and required insurance – all the stuff behind the scenes. Plus wouldn’t it be great to have a little something in reserve for leaner times?