Dairy’s Foundation added a live auction and an online-bidding element to its annual silent auction campaign at the 2024 Professional Dairy Producers® (PDP) Business Conference. The silent auction raised $30,792 and the live auction contributed an additional $17,600.
The auctions featured a wide range of items and experiences donated by individuals and organizations within and outside the dairy community. Contributions auctioned off during the live auction included an in-vitro fertilization (IVF) session and Holstein embryo package, a six-night stay at a nine-bedroom Orlando vacation retreat, and also a personally tailored professional-development training session with Michael Hoffman, a leadership trainer.
Other offerings included tickets to the Green Bay Packers, Milwaukee Brewers, Wisconsin Badgers basketball, Madison Mallards and also Timber Rattlers; travel experiences to multiple prized Wisconsin locations, a South Dakota hunting expedition, a Bonnie Mohr studio and farm tour, a 60-minute airplane ride for two, several golf course packages across the state, a vast array of gift baskets featuring Wisconsin cheese, wine and beef; tours to various creameries, wineries and dairy-retail stores; a diamond necklace, collectible art pieces, dairy farm supplies, farm wearables, tools and more.
“This year’s auction really brought dairy supporters together for a great cause,” said Caitlin Roy, Dairy’s Foundation auction chairperson. “We were thrilled with the variety as well as quantity of contributions. The ability to bid online in advance made for an exciting new twist.”
In addition to the silent auction, Dairy’s Foundation continued to create awareness about their annual “Plant a Seed, Inspire a Dream” campaign. The annual campaign is an important part of the foundation’s fundraising efforts. Funds raised directly support the creation of new and sustainable dairy leadership resources and educational programs. Contributions toward “Plant a Seed” will be taken through April 1, 2024. Donations can be made at www.dairyfoundation.org.