Dear Hope from Helen Family,
2020 has been a roller coaster of a ride so far, but it has allowed us time to reflect and plan for the future of Hope from Helen. We have decided to cancel this year’s Hope From Helen Surf Silent Auction for the safety and well-being of our community due to Covid19. We have also made the very thoughtful, but extremely difficult decision to announce that last year’s auction (2019) was the final Hope From Helen Surf Silent Auction.
When we started the annual auction event, we were much younger and had the time and energy to balance full-time jobs and life responsibilities with the demands of auction planning. However, after 15 years of planning and implementing the auction, we feel the need to step back and pivot Hope from Helen to online giving to continue our mission.
We will still run Hope From Helen and continue to donate with all the funds we raise but are pivoting to online donations or other means of giving to continue our mission. If you would like to help Hope from Helen continue its mission, you can donate online at our new and improved website: www.hopefromhelen.com
We are very proud of the impact the Hope from Helen auction has had on our community. We reached a milestone of raising over $1 million over 15 years and helping countless charities and individuals/families in need, both locally and globally—what a fitting end to an event that changed our lives and so many others. Helen Butler, the namesake of our organization, would be so proud!
We reflect on all the past Hope from Helen events and auctions, which showcased how an entire community can come together to make magic happen. Hope from Helen has been supported by so many volunteers, supporters, donors, and sponsors over the years, and for that, we are so appreciative of each and every one of you.
We are especially honored, humbled, and indebted to the Blockade Runner Beach Resort, who offered us the perfect venue to host the auction annually. They supported HFH with open arms from the very beginning, and we could never have held such an amazing auction night without them. And we gratefully thank Josh, Cindy, and the entire K-38 team for their unwavering support and for providing FREE, amazing food for attendees each and every year. And many, many thanks to Sweetwater Surf Shop and Surf City Surf Shop/Annex for graciously accepting thousands of auction items over the years and supporting the event with volunteers.
As you know, Hope from Helen is an all-volunteer organization. Our volunteers have been the lifeblood of our organization and the annual auction. They spent countless hours behind the scenes, securing donations and helping to stage, organize, and set up the auction before the big night and break it down in a flash at the end. It was an enormous task, and our volunteers did it like magic every year. And of course, we humbly thank the donors who supplied fabulous auction items for bidding each year, as these items raised funds to support Hope from Helen’s mission.
We would like to express our love and sincere appreciation for all who have supported Hope from Helen over the years. You are the Hope from Helen family. We wish you all a very safe and healthy future.
Sincerely,
Tony & Jenn Butler and the Butler Family
Kelly Barnes
