The Maine Auctioneers Association convened its annual meeting June 9 at the Senator Inn in Augusta, and held a charity auction to benefit the association and the Good Shepherd Food Bank.

Bill Milliken, president of the association, announced that $4,287.50 was raised by auctioning off 10 donated items, with the proceeds to be split between the food bank and the association.

“We wanted to revive a tradition with the auctioneers to help raise money for the association and also benefit a worthwhile local nonprofit organization that supports the community,” Milliken said in the news release. “The Good Shepherd Food Bank came up as an obvious candidate with food insecurity being a serious issue in Maine, particularly since the pandemic.”

Donors of items to be sold at the charity auction included the Maine Antique Digest, which donated a full page color ad that sold for $1,600; the Newtown Bee, which also donated a full page color ad that sold for $1,450; the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram, which gave a 50% discount off an ad that sold for $400; the Rockland Golf Club and auctioneer Bruce Gamage, who donated a round of golf with cart for four people that sold for $225; and Antique Trader, which donated a subscription to the publication that sold for $65.

Other items were donated by various auctioneers, some of whom auctioned off their own donated items.

For 35 years the Good Shepherd Food Bank has been dedicated to ending hunger in Maine through many food programs and by engaging in advocacy, supporting nutrition programs and by strategic partnership with other like-minded organizations.

For more information on the charity auction and other association activities, email maineauctioneersassn@gmail.com or visit mainauctioneers.org.