AWFS®Fair Auction Supports Woodworking Skills Development

Net proceeds from the special event will help fund credentialing programs offered by the Woodwork Career Alliance to students and professionals.

LAS VEGAS – The AWFS®Fair will host a silent auction with net proceeds benefitting the Woodwork Career Alliance of North America. The WCA is a non-profit organization dedicated to developing and growing a skilled woodworking workforce.

The auction will feature a wide variety of more than 80 bid items including autographed collectibles, fun get-a-ways, framed artwork and jewelry.

The special event is being presented through the collaboration of Expo Auctions of Sugar Hill, GA, and the Association of Woodworking & Furnishing Suppliers® (AWFS®), the organizer of the biennial woodworking fair.

Separate silent auctions will take place on each of the four days of AWFSFair, Tuesday, July 20 through Friday, July 23. Show attendees and exhibitors will be able to view most of the auction items displayed on tables located at booth 3419 in the West Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center. Auction items will be available for preview and early bidding online beginning July 10.

Expo Auctions’ mobile bidding platform allows bidders to participate from anywhere in the world using their smartphones. Individuals who are unable to attend this year’s show can bid on items and support a good cause.

Items that will be on the auction block include:

• Jimmy Buffett signed guitar;
• 7mm white freshwater pearl necklace (85-inch length);
• Drive Your Dream Car on a Racetrack with a three-night stay at a 4-Star Las Vegas Strip hotel for two;
• Two-night stay in Albuquerque, NM, with Sunrise Hot Air Balloon Ride for two;
• Signed sports items by Rocket Ismail, Notre Dame; Calvin Johnson, Georgia-Tech; Amari Cooper, Alabama; Emmitt Smith, Florida; and many more.
• Framed collages of Harry Potter book series, Pink Floyd, the Beatles, and more.

As Easy as 1, 2, 3
To participate in the silent auction and review all auction items:

1. Visit the official auction website bidhere.expobid.co beginning July 10 or text BidHere to 56651.
2. Register your mobile phone number, email, and name.
3. Submit your bid on the item or items of your choice.

Bidding opens at 9:00 a.m. and closes at 3:30 p.m. PT on July 20, 21 and 22. Bidding hours are 9:00 a.m. to noon on Friday, July 23.

Text notifications will be sent to bid winners at the close of each day’s auction communicating payment options. All winning bids include free shipping within the continental U.S.

“We look forward to AWFSFair attendees and exhibitors engaging with this silent auction to support the Woodwork Career Alliance,” said Adria Salvatore, assistant executive director/education. “WCA and the work that it does is critical to our industry and ensuring a strong workforce. The funds from this auction will be used to expand school programs, allow more students and professionals to earn their skill credentials, and provide more resources for teachers to connect with our industry.”

“AWFS has been a fantastic supporter of the Woodwork Career Alliance over the years,” said Scott Nelson, WCA president. “We deeply appreciate that the WCA has been designated to receive the net proceeds of this fun fundraising program. As a not-for-profit organization, we can use all of the financial support we can get to help us connect with more schools and woodworking companies to develop the next generation of skilled woodworkers.”

Learn more about the WCA and its skill standards and credentialing programs at AWFS booth 1979 or visit woodworkcareer.org.

About AWFS®
The full-scale international AWFS® Fair, scheduled for Tuesday-Friday, July 20-23, 2021 in Las Vegas, has become a critical hub for international commerce in the woodworking industry. The AWFS® Fair brings together the entire home and commercial furnishings industry, including manufacturers and distributors of machinery, hardware, plastics, lumber, construction materials, and other suppliers to the furniture, cabinet manufacturers, and custom woodworkers. For more information on the AWFS® Fair, visit AWFSFair.org.

About the Woodwork Career Alliance
The Woodwork Career Alliance of North America was founded in 2007 as a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation and is governed by a volunteer board of directors. The WCA’s mission is to develop and administer a unified set of Skill Standards for the wood products industry. Since 2011, WCA has developed observable and measurable performance standards and assessments for more than 300 woodworking machine operations. In addition, WCA has issued over 3,500 Passport credentials, a portable, personal permanent record documenting each holder’s record of woodworking skill achievements. More than 140 high schools and post-secondary schools throughout North America are WCA EDUcation™ members and a growing number of woodworking companies have joined the WCA as MANufacturing™ members. To learn more about the WCA and how to get involved with its programs, including sponsorship opportunities, visit WoodworkCareer.org.