From City to City: Auction brings in big bucks
By Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, July 19, 2004
Davie, Fla. — Competition was friendly but fierce for some unusual items on the block here at the City Furniture Team Auction to benefit the City of Hope.
Some 300 people donated more than $200,000 at the retailer's auction, which will help the City of Hope continue its mission to care and find a cure for those with cancer and other life-threatening diseases.
One of the night's big prizes went to Bob Kirkeby of bedroom furniture manufacturer Furniture Traditions. He agreed to donate $35,000 for the opportunity to have City Furniture purchase two containers of his product and sell the goods at its stores.
A private dinner at the home of Keith Koenig, CEO of the Top 100 store, and his wife, Doreen, went for $10,000, as did a dinner trip for eight aboard the company's private plane, Air City. Dinner with Mike Lennon, City Furniture's senior vice president of marketing and purchasing, was so popular it sold twice, for $15,000 each time.
Other items for sale included golf and fishing trips with City Furniture executives, a basketball signed by the NBA's Alonzo Mourning, pro sports tickets, and a photo in Furniture/Today.
All proceeds went to City of Hope, with City Furniture underwriting all costs of the event. Koenig, who will be honored with City of Hope's Spirit of Life Award at the October market in High Point, said the auction results reflect a unified fight against cancer.
"We were thrilled by the outpouring of support for this event and know the funds will be put to good use by the City of Hope," he said. "Every one of us has personally, or through a friend or loved one, been touched by cancer. City of Hope is leading the fight to eliminate cancer and City Furniture is proud to be an ally in this war we all hope to win."
