“At Community Giving Tree, our annual fundraising gala had hit a plateau in terms of funds raised each year. So we decided to hire an auctioneer, and hold both a live auction and a live fund-a-need type auction. We chose Cathy MacPherson as our auctioneer, and we increased our fundraising by 66%!
We were worried that an auctioneer would pressure our guests, but Cathy was funny, charming and knowledgeable. In addition, she is a dream to work with; a week or two before the event, we met to go over the auction items and fund-a-need; as a result, she arrived at the event fully prepared regarding both the items and our mission. During the auction, she is able to adjust on the fly, based on guests’ reactions. As a result, people really responded to her. We have used Cathy for 3 fundraisers, and now she is the first person I call when setting the date of the next one; her availability is more important than the venue.”
Christina Eckert, Director of Development, Community Giving Tree