LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth |
Sundance Memories - Auctioneer Ben Killebrew |
by Fay Jacobs |
Going...Going...Gone (but still here!)
This will be the first year since 1994 that volunteer auctioneer Ben Killebrew hasn't been on stage calling the shots for the annual Sundance live auction. His replacement, Chris Riss has had a terrific role model to study, and, I'm sure, will ably handle the important duty this year. But it's Ben who's justifiably proud of the huge success the auction has become, and is also the first to tell you it's been a growth process for both the event and the auctioneer! "Steve and Murray first asked me to do it in '94. I'd never tried auctioneering before, so I was pretty nervous. I'd never even been to a live auction only seen them on TV. But Murray gave me a complete list and description of the items and I spent a whole lot of time getting familiar with them. Then, my partner Michael suggested that I start off with something funnyso the first thing I did was take my tux vest off and auction it. It went for $60 and we were off and running." The auction scored big money for CAMP Rehoboth and SCAC and Ben's auctioneering "career" was born. The following year, for his opening salvo, his friend Glenn (Glenda) brought him a pair of Naval Academy gym shorts to auctionthat was a $90 icebreaker. "What really has made this auction work over the years has been the support of the communitythe merchants and individuals who donate the most generous items," says Ben. "...the travel packages, airline tickets, sculptures, furniture, artworkand, of course, Murray's incredible paintings. The generosity of the community has been remarkable." And speaking of travel packages, Ben learned his lesson early on about keeping the auction from stalling. "If it gets quiet, I'll make a bid and get things going again," suggested Michael in one of the early years. "So sure enough, we had a momentary lull in bidding, Michael bid and all the other action just stopped dead," recalls Ben with a laugh. "We wound up paying $2000 for a Florida trip! From then on, Michael had instructions to keep his hands down!" Asked if it is a nerve-wracking job to call the auction, Ben can't wait to say, "Absolutely! So much is riding on a successful auction, and the donated items are just so great that you don't want to fail. We've been lucky to make more and more money for Sundance every year." Luck? I don't think so. Ben put his heart and soul into the event and coaxed big bucks from the crowd every time he took the stage. Ben and Michael, former proprietors of The Shore Inn at Rehoboth, had vacationed here for many, many years before they came here to live full-time in 1995 as innkeepers. Now they are both into other jobs (Ben can be found knowledgeably showing and selling jewelry at Elegant Slumming, while Michael is working at the Holiday Inn Express in Bethany). Prior to their stint with the B&B, Ben retired from a 20-year Army career, having been posted in the United States, Germany and Viet Nam. Following the service and before relocating to Rehoboth, he worked for a research institute in Annapolis, MD. This October, he and Michael will celebrate 21 years together. "We love the diversity here in Rehoboth, the comfort of being welcome everywhere and the feeling that we're at home," Ben says. "I love how the community members support and respect each other." And that support has always been evident at the Sundance Auction. As for memorable moments, Ben says there are too many to count. "There have been years when well-respected members of the community passed away and donations and high bids became memorials for them. It was very emotional. Then, there have been the hilariously funny times, when the bidding would get so frantic and humorous that I'd lose my place and forget what the last bid was. Murray, Steve and other volunteers were always right there to keep it honest and fun." Fun it may have been, but the serious good that has been accomplished as a result of the funds raised is astounding. Both SCAC and CAMP Rehoboth have been able to provide services to hundreds and hundreds of people and created dozens of valuable programs as a result of Sundance itself and its signature auction. "The best thing about the job," says Ben, "is the fact that I've had the chance to be up there on stage and be able to thank all the people who made donations to the auction. They are the life of the eventthe merchants, restaurants and individuals who donate wonderful itemsand it's been rewarding to be able to tell them thanks." That's funny, Letters feels the same way about being able to say "thanks" to Ben. Check out the Sundance 2001 Auction on Saturday night, September 1, give a big welcome to our new auctioneer, and watch for "retiree" Ben Killebrew on the sidelines. He'll be the one holding Michael's hand.....down! |
LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 11, No. 11, August 10, 2001. |