University of Wisconsin - Extension

Vacations, home furnishings, business and office equipment and a golf and spa package at The American Club in Kohler, Wisconsin are among the special items to be sold to the highest bidders on this year's WHA-TV Auction (http://www.wpt.org/auction/). The live event runs from Tuesday, May 29, through Sunday, June 3, on Wisconsin Public Television (WPT) (http://www.wpt.org).

The WHA-TV Auction begins at 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday (May 29-June 1) and at 1 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday (June 2-3).

The six-day event, that marks its 26th year, is an important and popular fundraiser for the public television station. "The Auction is a major community event with thousands of donors, volunteers and bidders taking part each year," says Jon Miskowski, executive director of Friends of WHA-TV.

Friends organizes the WHA-TV Auction as part of its role as the citizen-support organization for WPT in south central Wisconsin.

"There's something to address just about every interest and price range," says Jacki Friend, WHA-TV Auction manager. Special features of the Auction include the Business Connections (Friday, June 1), the Kids' Corner (Saturday, June 2) and the Showcase Auction of big-ticket items (Sunday, June 3).

The Art & Antiques Auction, airing Thursday, May 31, features original art, jewelry, prints and antiques from artists and dealers. This year's Featured artist is John Mominee and the Commemorative artist is Clarence Cameron.

The Auction Showcase, airing statewide Sunday, June 3, at 7 p.m. features items valued at $2,000 and above. Included among the Showcase items are a South African safari, a one-year apartment lease, a time share in Puerto Vallarta, an automobile lease, a "Wall Street Wisconsin" stock package made up of stock in Wisconsin-based companies and home items.

Celebrity and other priceless items will be made available throughout the Auction including Senator Herb Kohl's Bradley Center box for a Marquette basketball or Admirals hockey game, a script autographed by Bill Cosby and an Antiques Roadshow-Madison collage.

Friends of WHA-TV is also presenting a limited sales raffle for a new vehicle. Anyone 18 years or older may purchase a limited sales raffle ticket in Madison at Kayser Inc., both American of Madison locations, Sentry Foods-Hilldale, by phone at (800) 422-9707 or online at wpt.org/auction. The winning ticket holder will have a choice of either a 2002 Ford Explorer XLS or a 2001 Nissan Maxima. There are only 999 tickets. The raffle closes when all tickets are sold or on June 3, whichever comes first. The winning ticket will be drawn at random and announced live on-air during the WHA-TV Auction, June 3, between 5-6 p.m. For full contest rules and ticket information, call (608)-262-2302 or (800)-422-9707.

WPT is a service of the Wisconsin Educational Communications Board and the University of Wisconsin-Extension.

Proceeds from the WHA-TV Auction help support Wisconsin Public Television, your place to grow through learning on WHA-TV/Madison, WPNE-TV/Green Bay, WHRM-TV/Wausau, WLEF-TV/Park Falls, WHLA-TV/La Crosse and WHWC-TV/Menomonie-Eau Claire.