Terry Vollum
For PostMedia
STIRLING – The Big Day has a way of sneaking up on us and before we know it, we have run out of time. But here is some good news for the Early-Bird Christmas shopper; if you have access to the Internet, you will be able to greatly reduce the number of hours otherwise spent frantically dashing from store to store. Here’s the scoop: once again, the Rotary Club of Stirling is hosting their incredible online auction, featuring an extensive selection of amazing items you can snap up as Christmas gifts or perhaps simply choose a little something for yourself. And all from the comfort of wherever you feel most comfortable surfing the net. “This will be our eleventh online Christmas auction,” explained Stirling Rotarian and auction guru, Laurie Osborne, adding, “Visitors to the site have always been impressed with the quality and variety of items up for bids.”
The Stirling Rotary online Christmas auction site is a little different from most other shops you’ll find in cyberspace and likely a whole lot more fun. For example, you can bid on a VIP package to see Thomas Rhett at the Budweiser Stage (your seats are in the second row) performing his “Better in Boots Tour 2025”. Or you might be drawn to the beautiful gift basket from World’s Finest Chocolate. Or perhaps one of the many gift cards from local cafes, restaurants, supermarkets, the Pro One Stop, The Buff Stuff Store and Lyman’s Landscaping. There’s a wide selection of power tools, Belleville Sens tickets and even some terrific gift items for the dogs and cats on your list – courtesy of PetValu in Stirling. As well, golfers can bid on green fee passes to most area golf courses. There are more than 100 fabulous items up for bids and this remarkable selection can only be found on the Stirling Rotary Online Christmas Auction website. Please see the link below. This year the Online Auction goes ‘live’ at 5:00 p.m. Friday Nov. 29 and runs until Friday Dec. 6 at noon. And aside from the thrill of participating in a virtual auction, you’ll have that warm feeling that you are helping to support the good work of Stirling Rotary. And that’s because all proceeds from the Christmas online auction stay right in the neighbourhood to support the Stirling Community Cupboard (Food Bank) along with its Christmas Food & Toy Drive – a long-standing annual campaign that ensures no child will go without a Christmas gift and that all needy families in Stirling-Rawdon will enjoy a Christmas dinner with all the fixings. And even though you’ll find Stirling Rotary’s online Christmas Auction on the World Wide Web, it’s really just a friendly neighbourhood shop – not unlike an old time General Store, filled with marvellous items generously donated by your good-hearted neighbours. “We certainly appreciate how fortunate we are to be living in such a caring community,” said Osborne, as she sorted through and continued to add items to the auction site, then added, “Our auction line-up is this impressive and unique thanks to the generosity of many Stirling area businesses and of course the tremendous support we always get from our friends over Campbellford way.”
So don’t forget; the Stirling Rotary Online Christmas Auction goes ‘live’ at 5:00 p.m. Friday November 29 and runs until noon, Friday Dec. 6. Here’s how to get there:
www.airauctioneer.com/24stirlingrotarychristmas
For more details, and last-minute surprises, Osborne suggests a visit to the Stirling Rotary Club Facebook page.