SUNDERLAND — Folks are encouraged to get some of their holiday shopping done early while supporting library programs over the next week through the Friends of the Sunderland Public Library’s annual online auction.
Starting Nov. 9 and ending Nov. 16 at 5 p.m., members of the public can bid on nearly 100 handmade items donated by local craftspeople and library patrons. The online auction has been successful in the past, according to Carol Ryan, a member of the Friends of the Sunderland Public Library.
“We did fairly well and it was kind of energizing,” Ryan said of previous online auctions. “Last year we made just over $1,200.”
This year’s auction can be accessed at bit.ly/3trTTJb. All proceeds go toward the Friends of the Sunderland Public Library, which in turn are donated to the library itself. Ryan said the money funds “primarily programs.”
“The library is very generous with their space,” Ryan said. “The library is nice to us and we’re nice to the library.”
Bidding, Ryan joked, can get intense on certain items, such as a set of potholders last year that garnered 13 bids.
“There can be some lively back and forth,” she said. “It’s kind of fun.”
This is the fourth auction organized by the Friends of the Sunderland Public Library. The tradition began alongside an annual book and bake sale in 2019, but the pandemic forced the move to an online auction in 2020, where the event has remained.
Auction items include handmade blankets, hats, Christmas stockings, scarves, sachet bags and all other sorts of quilted, crocheted and knitted items. Many of the items were created by the Friends’ Knitting Circle, which meets on Mondays at 10 a.m. Anyone is encouraged to join by emailing friends@sunderlandpubliclibrary.org.
“It’s very fun. It’s helpful for a lot of people,” Ryan said of the Knitting Circle. “Anybody is welcome at any level.”
Chris Larabee can be reached at clarabee@recorder.com or 413-930-4081.