If you're living in the Columbia, MD area and looking for a way to give back to the community in a fun, witty atmosphere, let me recommend the Rotary Club of Columbia Patuxent. I spoke to about 30 members there yesterday. You couldn't ask for a livelier bunch, even at 7:30 AM. Over the past six months I've been speaking to a number of Rotary Clubs about benefit auctions and -- dang it -- I've no idea why I haven't been blogging about it. It never occurred to me before, despite having met some ... Read On >
Sherry's Life
7 tips from someone who has graded your CMP application
Yesterday I prepped you about my work with the Convention Industry Council®. From morning until early evening today, I sat with ~40 reviewers (I'm pretty sure I was the only Virginia benefit auctioneer) at the Westin Arlington Gateway and scored ("reviewed") application after application. We were seated at round tables to facilitate group help. If one of us had a question or wanted a second opinion, she could easily pose it to another CMP® for feedback. We read applications, checked math, ... Read On >
Tomorrow I’m beefing up for my CMP recertification
Though I'm now a benefit auctioneer in Virginia, my corporate past included working as an event planner. As part of that career, in March 2005, I was relieved to learn from the Convention Industry Council that I had passed its difficult CMP exam. They sent me a letter with an official sticker. Sweet. Here's some background. What is the Convention Industry Council®? An organization of national and international members who are involved in the meetings, conventions and exhibitions industry. ... Read On >
Sherry takes 3rd at the Virginia Auctioneer Championship contest!
Each year in August, the Virginia Auctioneers Association (VAA) hosts its Mid-Year Seminar for all auctioneers (VAA is not just for benefit auctioneers in Virginia ... it's all specialties.) During the day are continuing education classes. I was the first speaker of the day, teaching the class of ~65 auctioneers how they can set up their own benefit auction businesses. In the early evening -- when summer heat is at its worst -- we make our way over to N&W Salvage Auction Warehouse where ... Read On >
Red Apple Auctions in The Washington Post!
Each week, The Washington Post Magazine has a section in its Sunday paper called "Making It." The section covers growing niche businesses in the Washington, D.C. area. Today the section featured Red Apple Auctions. Reporter Vanessa Gezari wrote the article, which you can read on the Post's site by clicking here. And whoo hoo! Some of my clients got honorable mentions, too. Food and Friends (which provides meals for people with HIV/AIDS, cancer and other illnesses) and the fabulous performing ... Read On >