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Friday, March 29, 2024

Vintage surfboard among 250 Hope from Helen auction items

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A refurbished longboard from the 1960s will be one of the featured items at Friday’s 12th Annual Hope from Helen Surf Silent Auction fundraiser, which every year draws a large crowd of participants to Wrightsville Beach for both the food and unique auction items.

But as the annual event improves its online auction platform, it’s easier for bidders to miss the event entirely and still win items.

“We make sure it’s a festive event because we want people to come out and mingle,” said event founder Tony Butler. “You don’t have to be present to win, but with the food and the atmosphere, it’s a good opportunity to see everyone.”

The event will be held Dec. 2 from 6:30-9:30 p.m. at Blockade Runner Beach Resort, with free food provided by Tower 7 and a ballroom that will have nearly 250 items up for silent auction, the proceeds from which are donated to local charitable organizations. These items will also be listed on the event’s online auction forum, where most already have received early bids. The online bidding forum can be found at the Hope from Helen Facebook page.

The event always features a selection of unique surfboards, skateboards and paddleboards, Butler said, with the refurbished 1960s Hobie longboard being one of this year’s highlights. The board was traded in nearly a decade ago to Sweetwater Surf Shop, where it had collected dust on the wall.

“After nearly eight years in the rafters, it was time to clean it up and let it go,” Butler said of the 10-foot-long, single-fin board, which he estimates is valued at around $2,000. “It’s ready for a good new home, whether that’s putting it on the wall or riding it.”

For wall items, Butler said there were several homemade artwork and home decor options up for auction. One of those paintings is “Survivor” by Kristen Patinka, which depicts recovery from breast cancer.

“That painting will hit close to home for quite a few people,” Butler said.

Butler started the charity in 2005 to support his mother who was fighting lung and breast cancer without health insurance. The charity continued after her death in 2006, but the organization changed the name from Hope for Helen to Hope from Helen, to mirror its change in focus. Instead of raising money for his mother’s medical bills, Butler began raising money in her honor for others in the community through support to organizations specializing in health, education, animal welfare and the environment, as well as individuals in need.

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