First 'Christmas in July' cruise raises almost $18K for Children's Auction

LACONIA — Thursday night marked the first ever “Christmas in July” cruise aboard the M/S Mount Washington, an event hosted by the Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction. More than 200 people took a three-hour cruise on Lake Winnipesaukee with a cash raffle, silent auction, dancing, drinks and dinner, all in an effort to raise as much as possible for this year’s auction.

Last year, the auction raised a record-breaking $625,724, all of which was distributed through grants to nonprofit agencies serving Lakes Region children.

“We sold over 250 tickets and we have 225 people on board,” Jennifer Kelley, the auction’s executive director, said Thursday.

The Mount donated her services to host the horde of guests. Once aboard, guests were treated to a buffet-style dinner along with ample photo opportunities with Santa Claus and the Grinch. Even the ship’s captain, Paul Smith, could be seen sporting a Santa hat as he manned the wheelhouse. 

“I’m a senior captain, been with the company working on my 38th year,” Smith said. “I'm past the point of working nights, but I volunteered to work this one because it means so much to me to be part of the Children’s Auction.”

As the massive boat cruised past Alton Bay, she gave a few long, congratulatory horn blasts to a lakeside wedding rehearsal dinner.

In addition to the annual televised event with which most Lakes Regioners are familiar, the auction relies on Community Challenge teams, who compete with one another to raise additional money throughout the year. Last year, the challenge teams alone raised over $300,000 through their efforts. 

“The Children’s Auction, everybody sort of thinks that it’s just a Christmastime thing, but the organizers of the Children’s Auction are making this a year-round recognition to what they do for the kids. It’s all for the kids,” Smith said. “It touches people in strange ways, myself included. Warren Bailey, he’s deep inside me, he was one of the anchors for this for years and years.”

Bailey was working as a radio host at WLHN in 1982 when he spearheaded a Christmas fundraising effort for children in need. 

The result was $21,000 and several items for donation to the “Citizen Santa Fund.” Over the years, the auction evolved in both size and complexity, eventually partnering with Lakes Region Public Access just before the second millennium. The new partnership with the Mount is just another expression of how the auction has continued to grow and integrate further into the community.

One year ago, the auction started a year-round community engagement committee. 

“We pull people in that aren’t involved in the auction, like today,” said Paige Youschak, the committee’s head. “Jared Maraio from the Mount Washington came to us and said he wanted to do an event where we can pull people in from the community and they can learn about the Mount Washington.”

Youschak cited herself as an example of the target audience for the event.

“I lived in Hawaii for four years and I went to the beach once, seriously,” Youschak said. “A lot of people who live here have not been on the Mount Washington, so it was kind of like pulling it all together.”

Efforts to put the cruise together began at least six months ago while the Mount was in dry dock. “It was a win-win situation,” Youschak said.

During the cruise, organizers held a 50/50 raffle, with 10 tickets for sale for $10.

“At the end of the evening, we pull out the one winning ticket,” explained Kelley. “Whoever has that ticket actually gets half the money in the bucket.”

As the Mount made the final leg of her return trip, Lori Nash of Gilford won the $1,085 raffle prize. The other half of the proceeds went directly to the auction. 

The event raised $17,794.14 for the auction in total.

During the cruise, Santa himself shared a few words with The Daily Sun. 

“Do you know what ‘Ho ho ho’ really means?” asked Santa. “It means 'Help out, help others and help often.' So remember during Christmas season when they have the auction, I hope everyone bids often and bids high.”