FESTIVAL OF TREES ONLINE AUCTION TAKING BIDS UNTIL DEC. 1

November 25, 2013 - 7:53am

Make a bid in the Festival of Trees online auction and you might just find the ultimate Christmas gift, or maybe a nice treat for yourself.

Bidding is open until 4 pm Dec. 1 on many items, including tickets to BC Lions and Seattle Seahawks games, yoga passes, signed collector items, fine dining, golf, art, wine, and gift certificates for a wide variety of goods and services, plus much more at .

“This is a fun, quick way to help us raise funds for students and facilities at Vancouver Island University (VIU),” says Festival of Trees chair Jason Nelson. “We’ve had fantastic donations from the community, and we’re pretty sure there will be some intense bidding wars before the deadline.”

One unique bid item is a custom carved Aboriginal paddle by VIU alumnus Mulidzas-Curtis Wilson. The talented Campbell River artist has a 60-inch red and yellow cedar paddle carved and waiting for the winning bid, which offers the lucky recipient a chance to work with Wilson in creating the paddle design.

If a getaway is on your list, bid on a two-night stay at Ucluelet’s Whiskey Landing Lodge, an intimate waterfront retreat close to wildlife and natural treasures in the area.

Another item Nelson expects will be popular is a dinner for four at VIU’s Discovery Room. “VIU’s Culinary program students serve up an amazing seasonal menu that is extremely popular.”

If you’re looking for a gift that is truly unique, you can bid on a private two-hour boat tour of Baynes Sound along with a tour of VIU’s Deep Bay Marine Field Station.

“There is a great range of items in our online auction, so go have a look and have some fun outbidding your friends in support of our university,” Nelson says.

The Festival of Trees, including the online auction, is the Vancouver Island University Foundation’s annual fundraising auction in support of student scholarships, bursaries and awards, and also goes to creating state-of-the-art facilities for students at VIU.

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