Gift Baskets For the Angel Ball Auction

hey everyone! We have been coming up with ideas for the Angel Ball silent Auction and one thing that we thought would be nice is gift baskets. Dawn has so many wonderful ideas....I just do not know where she gets her energy or time!

Here is what we are thinking.....Members could donate a themed basket in honor/memory of thier CHERUB including a CHERUBS brochure and story about the Cherub. Here are a few ideas for themes that Dawn has come up with"
"An Evening In" - candles, wine, recipe for a great dinner with some of the (non-perishable) food and gift certificate to a grocery for the rest, with a great romantic movie, chocolate

"An Evening Out" - gift certificate to a restaurant, movie tickets, hmmmm... can't think of what else...

"Picnic" - picnic basket with wine, cheeses and crackers and sausages (the kind that last for a while without being refrigerated), blanket, book of poetry

"Weekend Away" - the beach idea, or Bed & Breakfasts... with gift certificates from local restaurants, gas cards, etc.

The ideas are endless!! We would like the baskets to have a value of a $100. To help with this you could include friends and family to help "sponsor" your basket.

What do you all think?

Barb

I love the idea of making a basket in memory/honor of Your CHERUB.
Getting Friends/family to help. What fun!!!!!!
I would like to do a basket with candles, a bottle of wine and 2 wine glasses.

This is a great idea for families that can't come to the Angel Ball, but want to help CHERUBS!!!!! LOVE IT!!!!!

You are so right Barb--the ideas are endless!!!!!!!
If you posted to "What would you put in your basket." Now you can put it in a basket for CHERUBS!!!!

I think this is a great idea. I do think we should have some sort of list ahead of time stating who is doing what so that we don't have 20 wine baskets and nothing else. Need a variety or I don't think there will be much interest in voting. Could also do some kid type baskets, some with toys, or even a pet basket with dog or cat stuff. Just so there is an assortment of things.

Tara

Good point, Tara! There probably should be just one basket for each "theme".

And we want to include a CHERUBS brochure and story of your cherub as well in each basket. Oh and you have to post photos here of your baskets! :)

I might do one in memory of Shane and one in memory of my sister, Debra, who passed away from cancer. Not sure on the themes yet, will have to talk that over with my family and friends and see what they want to do.

Ok, who's in and what types of baskets are we doing?

I am! I am! I am thinking of a few different type of baskets.......oh which one to choose! LOL I really like the scrapbooking idea and I would love to do one of these.....Shane says that I could start a large store....LOL

So to start I will do a scrapbooking one and will think about another one.

Dawn would u like me to keep track of who is doing what theme?

That would be great, Barb, thank you!!! :)

Ok I want to do a pet one (dog) LOL but I will most likely have to do it when I get there. Dawn if I send you the money can you get me a basket? I can buy stuff to put in it here and pack it but if we end up flying I don't think I can pack a basket LOL. I might end up doing two, I am thinking of a movie one too with popcorn and such. I'll let you know.

Tara

The school that I work at recently had a spring carnival and each classroom did a themed basket for a raffle. I can get more ideas from them if you would like. I think this is a great Idea! A coffee basket, hot cocoa, pasta basket you are right the possibilities are endless!

ohhhhh! Those are great ideas Amy!! More ideas would be wonderful! Keep posting them on here!

Ok everyone.....who is doing what themes??

I have been thinking about trying to do a basket... but if I do I want it to have a meaningful connection to Gabe, was thinking about doing a Red Sox basket, but I doubt there are many Red Sox fans down there. Let me think for a bit and I will try to figure something out and get back to you.

I am in too!!
I would like to do a wine basket, with 2 wine glasses, and candles.

I just have to say that these ideas are FANTASTIC!!!!
I can't wait to hear of more!!!

Corin-I love the idea for the Red Sox basket--you never know who down there will be a Red Sox fan!!!!! But, if you are thinking--I can't wait to hear your idea!!

One of our local churches has a gift basket auction every year with atleast 50 baskets! Just some ideas: golf basket, grilling basket, baby basket, spa basket, italian basket, kitchen basket . . . all kinds just off the top of my head that I could remember.

Now, I am just wondering but since I cannot make the conference, any chance that members could still participate in this and maybe mail our baskets to someone that is going?

I would like to do maybe do a candle basket, but I can't promise anything since I will be busy, but I was thinking it would be nice since I cannot be there . . .

Kate- I think that it would be great for any members who can't make it to still do one in memory/honor of your CHERUB and mail it! You could probably mail it directly to Dawn.

Kate - Absolutely you can send a basket for the auction!!! We would love to incude as many baskets as possible in honor / memory of cherubs!!! :)

Tara - Yes, I can find out where some good baskets are down here, Tara. LOL.

Corin - There are so many transplants here from everywhere (Raleigh-Durham area has over a dozen universities and colleges, Research Triangle Park which is a huge science district with companies like Glaxo and IBM... probably half the people here are from different areas. I know of at least one Boston Red Sox fan who is coming to the Angel Ball and his wife was a sportscaster in Florida so between the 2 of them - it will get bought! And many of the guys who are playing / sponsoring the Golf Tournament will also be at the Angel Ball so they will appreciate some sports stuff.

Amy - LOVE the coffee and pasta ideas!!!

I have no idea what baskets I'm going to do. I think for the one in memory of my sister, Debra, another sister, Christie (who you may see popping around here once she figures out the forums better) might do an Appomattox / history basket. That's where my family is, where Debra was. There's a great B&B there who may donate a weekend, plus some tickets to the museum, a few books about the Civil War or something like that. 2 of Debra's children are biracial and her sense of humor would really get a kick out a doing a basket like that in memory of her. I know that probably sounds horrible - but Debra was silly like that, plus she lived most of her short life there outside of Appomattox. It's that or do a basket of Jerry Springer and Ricki Lake DVDs and trashy gossip magazines (she loved those shows). No way are we doing that. lol. I really want to include her memory too... my mom and other sisters with be at the Ball, along with cousins and some aunts and uncles... this is the first big event for CHERUBS that my huge, extended family can be at to see what we do, so it just feels right to have Debra here as well in spirit.

Basket in memory of Shane... I'm really having a hard time with this one!!!! Shane's memory is wrapped up in Sesame Street and matchbox cars and books and Precious Moments stuff. Sesame Street stuff would be out of place there. Not sure what I could do with matchbox cars and kids books. I might do a basket of Precious Moments statues or something like that. But it would seem so babyish and he was 6 and a half years old. I have no idea what to do here.

Ideas for some of you maybe....

Your cherub's nursery theme:

Disney - find a bunch of antique Disney pieces, gift certificate to the Disney Store, or even tickets to Disney if you can afford it.

Noah's Ark - tickets to the Asheboro zoo (incredible zoo 2 hrs from here), books on animals, "adopt" a zoo animal

Stars & Moons - buy a star, books on constellations, telescope, gift certificate to the UNC Planetarium

Butterflies - there is a butterfly house here you purchase tickets to. Also books on butterflies, maybe jewelry or ornaments of butterflies.

Dragonflies - books, photos, jewelry, ornaments, the movie Dragonfly on DVD

Other ideas....

Duke, NC State and UNC baskets would sell very easily down here! So would a Carolina Hurricanes basket for hockey fans or Durham Bulls or Carolina Mudcats basket for baseball.

Garden basket - seeds, gloves, small tools, bulbs, plant vitamins, book on gardening

Electronics - cell phone, ipod, chargers, etc... lots of electronics stores are franchises with local owners who will be more likely to donate

Video game baskets - I'm not a gamer, so I don't know what to add here

Games - big basket full of the traditional board games.. Monopoly, Scrabble, Yahtzee, etc

When in doubt of what to add to fill the basket - buy a book! ;)

Forgot one....

Back to School Basket (this is when everyone will be shopping for school!)... .backpack, pencils, pens, paper, folders, erasers, ruler, calculator, etc

Dawn-I love the precious moments basket idea! That sounds beautiful (something I might have to bid on :) )

OK, if you think the Red Sox one would get bids than thats what I will do!

I was thinking about doing a book basket with DR. Seuss books, Jodi Piccoult books and some type of book that men like to read. Or maybe a Dr. Seuss theme with stuffed animals, books, and movies. Not sure though. Do we just bring the baskets with us to the conference and angel ball?

Kate- Where do you live in PA? Steve and I are driving to the conference from MI and maybe you are on the way. Just a thought!

Oh Amy that would be wonderful!! I live 30 miles south of Pittsburgh. I don't know how long your drive will be, if need to spend the night, eat dinner, whatever you are very welcome at my home :) Even if you want to meet up somewhere, let me know your route!

Okay then, I will start working on a PartyLight Candle basket. My mom sells and she would love to help me out. This seems very doable after I talked it over with her.

Oh I don't know if you would want to attempt making dinner for my husband and I :) We are incredibly picky!! Our parents make fun of us all the time. I don't eat anything from pigs (I collected them when I was young and visited my friends piglets, so thats why I think I can't eat them) and Steve doesn't eat vegetables (only corn, green beans and potatoes!). We would love a stopping point. I will check our route and see.

I would love to see a basket from Australia!
Dawn, could I get it sent to your address???

Definitely, Sharon! That would be great!!!! :)

LOL Amy, I am picky, too! My Steve is, augh, he's a pig, he eats anything!! Just let me know where the route takes you, We can travel even if it may be a little ways away from home.

Oooo-I just had another idea for a basket. I am thinking about an Angel basket filled with the Willow Tree Angel figurines! (Of course I might have the temptation to keep it myself-lol). So know I'm not sure which one I want to do-the angel theme or red sox theme. I would love to do both if I can afford to, but I'll have to see how it goes.

Hey Guys. I am the Facility Nurse for Caterpillar. I am going to find out if I can do a Caterpillar basket. Maybe they will donate some things and I can buy some things. I will see if they need anything from Cherubs as far as verifying. Corin, I would defintley bid on Red Sox basket!

Oh Lynne! What a great idea!!

and I love BOTH ideas of yours Corin! I would not be able to choose either!!

I will start working on it tomorrow.

All these basket ideas ROCK!!!

Shaz--I can't wait to see your basket--all the way from Australia!!!!That is SO cool!!!!

Were all going to be trying to outbid each other on many of these baskets at the Angel Ball!!!! lol

I work for Family Video, which is a movie rental store chain, some of you may of heard of it, we are not in every state yet. Anyway, they have given me some movies for a basket. I am going to get a gift cert. for pizza or something of that sort , popcorn, candy, etc. and create a "Dinner and a Movie at Home" basket.

Wonderful Bobbi!! U read my mind! LOL I thought that a movie basket would be a GREAT idea!!

What great ideas!!! That willow tree basket sounds beautiful Corin. Wish I was going :( I just ask that everyone take a lot of pictures for me!!

Oh Kate you are going to be swamped with photos! I promise!! But you have to do the same in June......I am so jealous! I wanna go camping too! LOL

I loveee taking pictures :)

Me too! and I tend to get very camera happy! LOL My hubby got me the Canon Rebel XTI 400D with a few different lens for x-mas........you would NOT believe how many pics I have of my dogs and fish tanks.......the boys run when they see the camera as they say that I have too many pics of them.....sigh........at least the dogs and fish do not complain! LOL

LOL That was me yesterday with my puppy!! I took so many pictures! I feel bad for the twins!

Lynne, what's Caterpillar?

We make the big contruction equipment. You know, the big yellow back hoes ect. We make engines for those and big marine engines at my facility.

I mean construction equipment. I can't spell!

Awww yes, I have a few too many of those in my living room and driveway to trip over - SPLAT!

All boys, big and small, love vehicles that dig in the dirt!

I sent out letters to all the Red Sox players asking them to autograph and send back a baseball card I had enclosed, for the red sox basket I am putting together. I got my first card back today in the mail! I'm so excited, just thought I would share!