"Out of respect for the health of the volunteers, employees and other community members," Public Media Connect of Southwestern Ohio will delay April's Action Auction joint fundraiser for WCET-TV and WPTD-TV until June 17-20.
To limit the number of volunteers needed in the Channel 48 studios, the Cincinnati and Dayton public TV stations "will also be utilizing online bidding and, for the first time, will have scheduled pick-ups," says Kellie May, manager of communications and digital initiatives.
In February, the stations announced that the Action Auction and Dayton's Great TV Auction would be combined for the first timeand air six days, April 20-26, on both stations.
The rescheduled Action Auction will be only four days.
Here's the release:
CET/ThinkTV Action Auction Moved to June 17-20, 2020
CINCINNATI, OH – Out of respect for the health of the volunteers, employees and other community members, CET and ThinkTV have made the difficult decision to postpone the CET/ThinkTV Action Auction. The event will now be Wednesday, June 17, through Friday, June 19, from 7pm to 11pm, and Saturday, June 20, from 3pm to midnight on air and online. Also, in order to limit the number of volunteers needed in the studio, CET and ThinkTV will also be utilizing online bidding and, for the first ti
CINCINNATI, OH – Out of respect for the health of the volunteers, employees and other community members, CET and ThinkTV have made the difficult decision to postpone the CET/ThinkTV Action Auction. The event will now be Wednesday, June 17, through Friday, June 19, from 7pm to 11pm, and Saturday, June 20, from 3pm to midnight on air and online. Also, in order to limit the number of volunteers needed in the studio, CET and ThinkTV will also be utilizing online bidding and, for the first time, will have scheduled pickups.
“In our more than 50 years of holding this event, we’ve only cancelled it one other time, but we felt we had to make the right decision, both for everyone who works the event and everyone who participates. We hope that by moving the event to June and retooling our processes, we can have a successful fundraiser without putting anyone at risk,” Community Events Manager Mary MacDowell said.
Additionally, CET and ThinkTV have at this time stopped requesting donations and sponsorships from local businesses and have asked volunteers to stay home.
The stations will be releasing additional details about online bidding, scheduled pick up and pay and more as plans are solidified. For now, potential bidders and buyers can explore the items in house, including vacation packages, gift baskets from local merchants, gift certificates and more, online at https://events.CETconnect.org.
Dr. O’dell Owens, who is returning for a history-making 10th year as the CET/ThinkTV Action Auction Chair, is hoping the community will continue to support local PBS by participating in the auction, even with the changes.
“From children learning to read with Sesame Street or The Cat in the Hat to adults being life-long-learners with programs like NOVA or Independent Lens, the programs, services and resources provided by CET and ThinkTV are used throughout our community more than any other non-profit in the area. I’m happy to chair this event for the 10th year because I know, by supporting the CET/ThinkTV Auction Auction, I’m supporting the ability of our local PBS stations to continue to provide this kind of high-quality content to our community. Please join me in supporting this year’s regional auction,” Dr. Owens said.
The CET/ThinkTV Action Auction helps support your local Cincinnati and Dayton PBS station and allows both stations to continue to provide educational programming that reaches children in homes and at local schools, as well as educators, and the communities in surrounding areas. Supporting CET and ThinkTV works to safeguard its mission of strengthening the community by providing content and services that engage, inspire, inform, educate and entertain.
