Service Auction

submitted by Krichele

Preparation:
*Have all the participating YW choose 2-3 services they will be willing to do for the buyer, and print the service with signature below on one side of a 3x5 card. On the reverse side, have them print their (full) name and phone number. They may embellish if the want to. Multiple numbers of the same service are fine, but only once per YW. (So, Lulu can do babysitting, and so can Katie.)
*Have all participating YW choose 1-2 treats they can provide for the auction. (I.E. brownies, cookies, beverage mix, recipe in a jar.)
*Make blank name cards out of stiff card and popsickle sticks for the RS sisters. They can put their names on it as they walk in.
*(Optional, but very useful) Make a list of the services offered (I did it by catergory) and who is offering them. This way the RS sisters can decide what they want before hand and save their "Points" for the item they want most.
*Create a questionnaire for the RS to fill out. (THis is how they get points to use as "Money")Include service-oriented questions, i.e. Made a meal for a sick friend-10pts. 2pts for each sister you visit-taught for the past month. 15 pts for carpooling to this activity. 15points if you visited the temple this month. Also include silly questions. 5 points if you brushed your teeth today, 5pts if you play a musical instrument, 10pts if you said "I Love you" today, etc. (Suggestion, bump down the points of non-service or church related activities)If you are few in numbers, it may be a good idea to double or even triple their total points for attending the activity.
Night Of:
*Spread out the auction items on a table in the front of the room (cards and treats) for the RS to browse through before you start.
*set out the cards and markers just outside the door so the RS sisters can write their names as they go in. Also hand them each a questionnaire to fill out while waiting to start.
*When you are prepared to start, have an auctioneer and a "Vanna White" ready to start the auction. have "Vanna" hold up the card, describe the service and name the girl who is offering the service. (you can do the treats at the beginning or spread them out in between the cards) Start the bidding at 5 points (or more for the good ones,)Then it should just take off. You'd be surprised how badly some of those mothers want free babysitting!
Definitely encourage the girls to get to know the ladies who bought their services.
(Oh, and you should have someone keep track of who buys what, so the YW can contact their person)
I hope this makes sense. Feel free to rewrite it. And there are places online-that's where I got the idea-that tell you how to do it as well as ideas for the point questions and service ideas.