Month: May 2025

35th Conservation Auction online for 2025 raises more than $30,000 for community

Ausable Bayfield Conservation Foundation and Exeter Lions Club thank generous local donors and bidders for raising more than $30,000 for needed community projects through Conservation Auction

The 35th Conservation Auction, which was online for 2025, has raised more than $30,000 to support local projects which could not happen without this community support. The early estimated net proceeds, of this year’s charitable fundraiser, are based on a combined total of online auction bids, donations, and ticket sales for the 50-50 raffle draw which took place prior to the virtual auction.

The Conservation Auction Committee Chair for 2025 is Chris Keller of the Exeter Lions Club. He said donors to the auction were very generous this year and so were bidders.

“On behalf of the Conservation Auction Committee, the Exeter Lions Club, and Ausable Bayfield Conservation Foundation, I want to thank everyone who made this possible,” he said. “We give our heartfelt thanks to our generous local businesses, sponsors, donors, bidders, and volunteers. You have made a positive difference for your community and we can’t thank you enough.”

The success of this year’s event means that the Conservation Auction has raised more than $1.42 million over 35 years.

The Exeter Lions Club has been co-partner, with Ausable Bayfield Conservation Foundation and the watershed community, on the Auction, since 1991. Net profits are split evenly between projects of the Conservation Foundation and the Exeter Lions Club.

The annual charitable auction supports needed initiatives in the area, such as parks and trails and conservation areas, outdoor recreation events and experiences for youth and families, conservation education for the young and young at heart, job and education opportunities for youth, and other local conservation projects that depend on the auction for support.

Successful bidders in the online auction can pick up their items, during regular business hours (8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.), at the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Foundation office, east of Exeter, at 71108 Morrison Line, by May 30. If you have any questions about the auction, please phone 519-235-2610 or toll-free 1-888-286-2610.

PHOTO CUTLINE/CAPTION:

MORE THAN 130 ITEMS INCLUDED IN CONSERVATION AUCTION ONLINE FOR 2025: Thanks to generous donors and bidders, the 35th Conservation Auction, a partnership of Exeter Lions Club and Ausable Bayfield Conservation Foundation and the watershed community, raised more than $30,000 for local projects that need this support. There were more than 130 auction items in the virtual auction which ran from May 12-15. In this photo, Jackson Janmaat, of the Conservation Auction Committee, is shown with a couple of those items.

Interested people invited to check out 120 auction items in online charity auction; Virtual auction will be live for bidding at 8 a.m. on Monday, May 12, 2025 and people can continue to bid until 8 p.m. on Thursday, May 15, 2025; You can take a ‘sneak peek’ now, on web page, at some of the wonderful auction items in the auction

The 35th Conservation Auction Committee is ready for the online auction to go live at 8 a.m. on Monday, May 12, 2025 and remain live for bidding until 8 p.m. on Thursday, May 15, 2025. Here is the link to the auction web page:

• Online Auction Web Page – Bid Now

There’s no bidding on the online auction prior to May 12 but the public is welcome to take a ‘sneak peek’ now at 120 fabulous items that will be available for bidding.

The Conservation Auction Committee Chair for 2025 is Chris Keller of the Exeter Lions Club. He said the online format means more people can take part and they will have more opportunities to take part as the virtual auction runs for four days instead of a single evening. “There are 120 wonderful items to bid on, and it’s a fantastic way to make a positive difference for your community,” he said. “We appreciate all the people who have supported the Conservation Dinner over the years and we hope they will continue to support this community fundraiser in a different format this year.”

The auction items are grouped in categories including experiences; food and drink; garden; health and beauty; and house and home. The auction items, thanks to generous donors, include: hotel stays; dining; theatre; experiences; health and beauty; one-of-a-kind handcrafted items; autographed sports memorabilia; autographed entertainment memorabilia; artwork; golf passes; power tools; and much, much more.

A link to the Zeffy.com auction web page is posted at ConservationDinner.com by clicking the ‘online auctions’ tab.

You can also get to the auction page with this link: bit.ly/35thConservationAuction

If you have questions about the virtual auction phone 519-235-2610 or toll-free 1-888-286-2610 or email info@abca.ca or visit the Ausable Bayfield Conservation office east of Exeter at 71108 Morrison Line (just south of Highway 83).

The Conservation Auction has raised more than $1.39 million, for work in local communities, over its history dating back almost three and a half decades.

The Exeter Lions Club has been co-partner, with Ausable Bayfield Conservation Foundation and the watershed community, on the Auction, since 1991.

Net profits are split 50-50 between projects of the Conservation Foundation and the Exeter Lions Club.

The annual charitable auction (online for 2025) supports needed community initiatives such as parks and trails and conservation areas, outdoor recreation events and experiences for youth and families, conservation education, job and education opportunities for youth, and other projects in local watershed communities.