Items at Gala auction will include lessons, club memberships

Kathy Lietz sometimes thinks about the horse that could have been hers. She was at the SML Charity Home Tour Gala and there was a horse up for bid.

"I called my husband and said, 'How mad would you be if I came home with a horse?'" she recalled. "He said, 'I wouldn't be mad, but you wanted to uncomplicate your life.'"

Lietz didn't bid on the horse, but said she sometimes wonders what could have been. Although there isn't a horse on the block this year, there are a variety of items donated to raise funds for area charities.

They include a weekend at Wintergreen, boat-docking lessons, jewelry, artwork and furniture. Items still are being accepted, said Lietz, public relations co-chairman for the tour. She said the silent auction provides a large portion of the donations from the gala.

Also on the auction block are two golf club memberships donated by Ron Willard. A membership at The Waterfront, valued at $10,000, will sell for a minimum bid of $1,500. A membership at The Westlake, valued at $2,000, will sell for a minimum $500 bid.

Mailed bids also are being accepted for the golf club memberships. The sealed bids will be opened after bidding at the silent auction closes. The memberships will be awarded to the highest bidders, regardless of whether they are in attendance. Sealed bids can be mailed to: SMLCHT, P.O. Box 416, Moneta, VA 24121.

The event will be Friday, Sept. 10 from 7 to 11 p.m. at Bernard's Landing. It will include dinner, live music by Breeze Brothers, dancing, a cash bar, a 50-50 raffle and the silent auction. Tickets are $70 and are available through Sept. 3.

Food will be provided by Jim Schaal Catering. The menu includes shrimp, beef Wellington, smoked salmon, open-face Reubens, roasted vegetables and jalapeno biscuits.

Lietz said money left over after paying for the gala will be split among eight regional charities, which also will split proceeds from the Oct. 1-2 tour of eight lake homes. Tickets for the tour are $25 in advance or $30 at the homes on tour dates.

This year's recipients are Bedford Christian Free Clinic, Bedford Hospice House, Free Clinic of Franklin County, Helping Hands of Franklin County, Lake Christian Ministries, Lynchburg Daily Bread, Roanoke Valley Interfaith Hospitality Network and SML Good Neighbors, Inc.

Gala and tour tickets are available online through PayPal at smlcharityhometour.com. Gala tickets also are available at Bernard's Landing or by mailing a check to SMLCHT, P.O. Box 416, Moneta, VA 24121. Tour tickets also are available at businesses throughout the region. For more information, visit smlcharityhometour.com.

Local Home Tour ticket outlets

Hardy

Print-n-Paper

Prudential Waterfront Properties

Smith Mountain Building Supply

The Cottage Gate

VitaZen

Moneta

BB&T

Bernard's Landing

Capps Home Building Center

Designer Solutions

Diamond Hill General Store

Franklin Community Bank

Gifts Ahoy

Interiors by Kris

Moneta Farm and Home Center

Smith Mountain Flowers

SML Visitor Center and Regional Chamber of Commerce

The General Store

The Little Gallery

Penhook

The Water's Edge office

Willow Tree Nursery

Union Hall

BB&T

Lakescapes Nursery

Smith Mountain Building Supply

Trocadero

For outlets in surrounding areas, visit smlcharityhometour.com.