AOL and the American Cancer Society host blockbuster charity auction with fundraising items from Autograph Store Charity Fundraising

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) October 21, 2010 -- Autograph Store Charity Fundraising is proud to announce it’s successful partnership with AOL and the American Cancer Society for their second annual charity auction fundraiser and auction. According to AOL, the fundraising event was such a tremendous success, it raised nearly $100,000 for the charity — twice the amount raised in 2009.

AOL’s partnership with the American Cancer Society has a unique history. After three members of AOL’s paid services department were diagnosed with cancer in 2009, the department’s program director, Ron Tiesler, rallied his team and contacted the American Cancer Society, searching for a way to show his team’s support for both their colleagues and the community as a whole. From this first contact, the concept of hosting a charity auction fundraiser together was born.

“Our relationship with the American Cancer Society started with a phone call,” Tiesler said. “Then, it was just a matter of pulling together employees who wanted to buy in and participate in what we wanted to accomplish.”

With nearly 1,200 members of AOL’s Dulles, Va. staff and local community in attendance, the event’s primary fundraising source came from the autographed memorabilia and once-in-a-lifetime experiences made available for auction by Autograph Store Charity Fundraising. Some of the event’s most popular charity fundraising items included autographed guitars from Eric Clapton, U2, Carlos Santana and The Jonas Brothers; autographed drumheads from The Rolling Stones and Dave Matthews Band; autographed record albums from Barbra Streisand, Bob Dylan, Bette Midler, David Bowie and others; celebrity-autographed photos from Angelina Jolie, Michael Jackson, Kiefer Sutherland, the casts of “Star Wars,” “Sex and the City” and others; as well as a wide array of travel packages and once-in-a-lifetime experiences.

“The autographed guitars and travel packages had the most buzz,” Tiesler said. “A big part of [the event’s success] had a lot to do with what Autograph Store Charity Fundraising did for us. The fact that [they] bring items to the table that are highly desired, that resonate with folks in charity auctions, and [they’re] just a breeze to work with.”

Now, with a second year behind them and a third on the horizon, AOL’s charity event planning team is looking to make an even bigger splash in 2011. Autograph Store Charity Fundraising is excited to bring more unique charity fundraising items to all the wonderful charity fundraisers AOL has in store for years to come.

For more information regarding this story, please contact Sean Gallagher, social & digital media director for Autograph Store Charity Fundraising, at (888) 232-2500, ext. 103 or seang@autographstore.com.

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Autograph Store Charity Fundraising proudly serves more than 1,800 charities and non-profits worldwide, providing charity auction items to a wonderfully diverse group of worthy causes. In 2009, the company’s no-risk auction items helped raise over $1 million at silent auctions, charity auction fundraisers and charity benefits in all 50 states and around the world.

© 2010 Autograph Store Charity Fundraising

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