An Evening Out on the Town: Claremont Chamber of Commerce Holding Auction

By Dylan Marsh
EAGLE TIMES STAFF
CLAREMONT- The Greater Claremont Chamber of Commerce is having their annual auction and this year’s theme is set to be Diamonds & Pearls.

An annual event, this will be the Chamber’s first in-person auction since 2019. Held on the Visitor Center Green, the evening will include a raffle, the auction, live music, cash bar, and catering. The Chamber has held the auction since the early 2000’s but more recently have sought to make it more of an evening out.

“As a chamber in general you host a lot of business networking events. So, we were looking to do something along those lines that we could also add a theme to, make it a little fancier. We just really wanted to give people in town a fun night out,” said Greater Claremont Chamber of Commerce Director Elyse Crossman.

In previous years, all proceeds from the auction items have gone back into the Chamber’s general fund, which exists as part of the Chambers mission to enhance, promote, and support economic stability and growth in the greater Claremont area.

This year, however, proceeds from a number of items up for auction, roughly a dozen, will go towards the Chamber’s scholarship fund. The Chamber has and manages a 501©(3) organization which provides scholarships to citizens of the greater Claremont area and has two separate options available. One of the scholarship options follows a more traditional or typical route of high school seniors seeking financial aid when going on to an institute of higher learning. The other is for adults who have been out of school for sometime and are interested in going back. For both options there are a list of prerequisites in which a candidate must meet before being awarded the scholarships.

Pearce Jewelers will be the champion sponsor for Saturday night’s gala auction. They have also donated a pair of white gold diamond and pearl studded earrings to go along with the theme of the event. Some of the other items available to hopeful bidders will be a football signed by a member of the New England Patriots and a baseball signed by a member of the Boston Red Sox. Included in the auction is also a rifle from Ruger Firearms and a number of gift certificates to local businesses, including one from Claremont Savings Bank with funds going to the heating option of your choice.

The Chamber thought of the theme Diamonds & Pearls as an opportunity for locals to have a fun night out with classier attire, but also that people typically have diamonds and pearls even if they are imitation. While the proceeds are going towards a charitable cause they wanted to offer people in town the opportunity to have some fun.

So, the Chamber has not only sought the catering services of Common Man Restaurant but will also have a cash bar courtesy of Sweet Fire Barbeque. They have also retained the services of Boombox, a band from southern Vermont for the evening’s entertainment. The Diamonds & Pearls Auction Gala starts at 4 PM on Saturday, July 30, 2022, and goes until 9 PM.

If you don’t secure yourself a ticket, a limited number are available at entry.