The Arizona Chapter of the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI), announced that it will present the 36th Annual Chinese Auction Fundraiser & Dinner, celebrating the “Year of the Dog.” This annual event will be held at the Scottsdale Plaza Resort on Friday, July 13, 2018, with over 400 meeting and hospitality professionals in attendance. Proceeds from this award-winning event will help support the association’s mission and ongoing efforts to provide quality continuing education and scholarships for those professionals currently in the hospitality industry, as well as those pursuing a career in the field.
“The Arizona Chapter of HSMAI is celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year and I know this year’s Chinese Auction will not only reflect this special anniversary, but surpass expectations. What an incredible way to celebrate unity within this industry and come together for a night of festivity and charitable giving. This award winning event is one you definitely don’t want to miss. I look forward to seeing you there.” … Rochelle Barton, 2018 HSMAI President.
The Chinese Auction Fundraiser is a unique event combining silent auction and live auction bidding. Each guest will receive a list of items to be sold during the live auction, and a paddle with an individualized number. Each guest will then “bid” on items by placing one quarter in an individual bucket placed at the center of each table. The auctioneer will roam the room while announcing numbers on each guest’s paddle, until the Chinese gong is rung. The number last called before the gong rings, will win the item. Prizes include, golf outings, artwork, gift certificates for goods and services, signed sports memorabilia and weekend getaways to various destinations throughout the U.S., Hawaii and Mexico. Money is raised through the quarters that are bid on each item, the silent auction preceding the dinner, and a live-auction bidding.
This unique auction was conceived by the Arizona Chapter and has been adopted by chapters all over the United States. This event has won numerous awards including “Stars of the Industry” Awards from the Arizona Lodging & Tourism Association, “Awards of Excellence in Association Management” from the Arizona Society of Association Executives and several HSMAI International Awards.
A portion of the proceed from this year’s event will also be donated to HSMAI Arizona Chapter’s 2018 Charity of the Year, SniffAZ. SniffAZ – a 501(c)3 organization – is an all-volunteer, non-profit organization known in the community as an efficient channel for moving charity dollars into spay/neuter service providers to provide free surgeries. Their efforts drive a reduction in unintended litters, thus reducing space-related euthanasia rates. Since 2012, SniffAZ supporters have donated $375,000 which has funded 5,769 free spay/neuter surgeries thus saving the lives of 2,885 shelter animals in Maricopa County. The results, combined with the effort of other like-minded organizations, speak for themselves: 84% reduction in euthanasia since 2005 and a 79% reduction since 2012. Find out more about this organization at sniffaz.com.
Tickets for this year’s event are available at early bird rates for only $70 per person, or $675 for a corporate table of ten. For more information, call Joanne Winter at 602-240-5552, or register at: hsmai-az.org.
