OBIFD Annual Auction and Yard Sale Set For August 9 & 10

July 16, 2014

The 21st annual Orr's and Bailey Islands Fire Department auction and yard sale will be held on August 9 and 10 on Orr's Island.

The weekend will feature a giant yard sale, silent auction and food on Saturday and Sunday and a live auction of antiques, art, collectibles and other items on Sunday. It will be held at the Orr’s Island Fire Station, 1600 Harpswell Islands Road, Route 24.

The auction and sale has become a treasured community event, typically attracting large crowds, and is considered one of the highlights of the summer on the islands.

“This has become an island institution,” said OBIFD Fire Chief Ed Blain, one of the auction organizers. “We look forward to seeing familiar faces who have supported us for the past two decades as well as people coming for the first time.“

The yard sale will run from 8 a.m. to at least 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. The live auction will begin  Sunday at 10 a.m., with preview and registration beginning at 9 a.m. A silent auction of donated goods and services will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and 8 a.m. to noon on Sunday. 

Items sold at the event are donated by area residents throughout the year. The most unique and valuable pieces are typically sold at the auction, though many surprises and treasures can be found in the yard sale, which is held on the grounds around the fire station and inside the adjacent historic Orr's Island Schoolhouse. 

“There is truly something to be found for everyone, if not just seeing the delight on the faces of winning bidders or discoveries in the yard sale or among the schoolhouse collectibles,” Blain said.

Among the items expected to be up for sale this year are a large, carved wooden dolphin which dates back to the 1920s and has been displayed in both Maine and Florida. It was donated to the auction by a Cundy's Harbor resident.

Blain said other items include a number of high-end antique pieces, including lamps, desks, bureaus and dining room furniture, along with other unique collectibles. 

As usual, there will be several boats for sale, including multiple skiffs, a 14-foot boat with a motor and trailer, canoes, kayaks, and at least one paddle board. More boats are also expected to come in before the auction.

“Another flotilla looks to be available for sure,” Blain said.

Anyone looking for a new bicycle will also find many choices this year.

“We have more bikes than ever, including some high-end reproductions, street bikes, off-road bikes and bikes sized for every member of the family,” Blain said. 

The auction will also feature many surprise and unique items, including locally baked pies which are typically sold for hundreds of dollars to support the fire department scholarship fund and other needs.

Concrete gargoyle up for auction.

Blain will once again serve as chief auctioneer, assisted this year by OBIFD board member Malcolm McFarland, an experienced antiques dealer.

The yard sale held in the adjacent schoolhouse, on the lawn and in two big tents out back will offer a wide range of household goods, bric-a-brac, holiday decorations, small antiques and toys. 

The silent auction will feature gift certificates donated by area businesses, including restaurants, motels,  local fishermen and shops, offering meals, automotive and marine supplies and services, jewelry, art and clothing, home and garden supplies and services, personal care and health supplies and services, recreation opportunities and many more.

Breakfast, lunch and snacks will be offered for sale on both days. The breakfast menu includes made-to-order sandwiches and bakery items, while lunch features grilled hot and sweet sausages, hamburgers, veggie burgers, hot dogs, grilled cheese sandwiches, nachos with cheese, soft pretzels, other snacks, beverages and deserts.

Proceeds from the event benefit the Orr's & Bailey Islands Fire Department, which provides fire and rescue services on Orr's and Bailey Islands and portions of Great Island east of the Mountain Road bridge and south of Stevens Corner Road on Route 24. All money raised goes to support the fire and rescue operations and for training to better serve the community.

Donations are still needed for the auction and yard sale.  Items may be dropped off at the Orr's Island fire station from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays through August 2, or call Blain at 833-5199 to arrange for another time or schedule a pickup of donations by fire department volunteers

For more information about the fire department or volunteering, visit www.obifd.org 

Art Auction Raises Funds for Orr's Island Schoolhouse

July 15, 2014

A lot of community spirit and thousands of dollars were raised at this year’s annual art auction to benefit the historic Orr’s Island Schoolhouse.

Dozens of works of art, ranging from paintings and photographs to carvings and jewelry, were sold at the annual event. About 75 people attended and provided spirited bidding on items donated by local artists for the fund-raiser, held July 5 at the schoolhouse on Harpswell Islands Road, Route 24

Bidders check out the artwork prior to the auction.

The artwork included a series of old-style wooden lobster buoys which were distributed by auction organizers to area artists, who transformed them into unique pieces of art.

“The creativity shown by our local artists with the buoys was amazing,” said Venise Minkowsky, who organized the auction. “We are very fortunate to have so many talented people in our community who are willing to donate their time and abilities to help us preserve such an important part of our local history.”

A buoy carved by Brad McFadden of Orr’s Island proved to be the most valuable item sold at the auction. The buoy, transformed into a realistic-looking lobster, sold for $1,000 following some enthusiastic bidding. It was the second year in a row a work by McFadden generated the most money at the event.

Other top bids included $525 for “Seal,” an oil painting by Doug Bane; $300 for “Puffin Watch,” a silkscreen by T. Tryson; $280 for a carved Sanderling bird by McFadden; $200 for “Fog Lifting, Newfoundland,” a watercolor by Margaret Leonard; $130 for “Purple Buoys,” a watercolor by Jan Roberson; and $120 for “Girl with Goldfish Balloon,” a digital print by Jeff McCreight.

Top sellers among the lobster buoys included $280 for “Lobster with Own Butter” by Tom Brudzinski; $210 for “Lobster Roll” by Maureen Anthoine-Orlandini; $205 for “Pineapple” by Jeff McCreight; and $200 for “Painting of Lowell Cove” by Patricia Fuchs.

Brad McFadden's lobster buoy.

All winning bids totaled nearly $7,000, which yielded more than $5,500 for the schoolhouse after expenses and commissions paid to some of the artists. The money is used for maintenance and improvements to the building, such as new air conditioning which kept everyone cool and comfortable for the auction on a warm summer evening.

Participating artists in this year’s event included Margaret Leonard, Kimball Page, Jan Roberson, Sharon Bond, KDB, Doug Bane, Jeff McCreight, Tim McCreight, Barbara Wiltshire, Patricia Fuchs, Bill Tomsa, Scott Minkowsky and Tom Brudzinski.

The lobster buoys were provided by Doug Bane, Steve Black, Tom Brudzinski, Patricia Fuchs, Emily Leonard Trenholm, Brad McFadden, Maureen Anthoine-Orlandini, Jeff McCreight, Tim McCreight, and Patrick Regan.

Auctioneer Ed Blain, left, and Tim McCreight drum up bids.

In addition, local lobstermen Dave Johnson, Al Johnson, and Bob Wilson provided buoys painted with their own colors, which sold for more than $100 each.

Ed Blain, chief of the Orr's and Bailey Islands Fire Department, once again served as auctioneer at the event.An important part of Harpswell history, the building was originally a two-room school for island children. Now used for a variety of community, public and private events, the schoolhouse is self-supporting, depending on income from event rentals, fund raisers and donations to maintain the building and grounds. It is managed by the adjacent Orr’s and Bailey Islands Fire Department.

For more information about the schoolhouse, or to inquire about rentals, please contact Venise Minkowsky at 833-7386 or visit orrsislandschoolhouse.com.