Pub Mania back, for good, as fundraiser for Children's Auction

GILFORD — The Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction is retiring the Community Challenge and focusing on Pub Mania in its fundraising efforts.

The Community Challenge was a fundraiser created to replace Pub Mania, the famed 24-hour barstool challenge, at the start of the COVID pandemic during mandated social distancing and uncertainty about the spread of the illness. Patrick’s Pub & Eatery owner Allan Beetle, who hosts Pub Mania at his restaurant, said they stopped holding Pub Mania during that time, and there was uncertainty about the future of the event.

“When we had to put Pub Mania on the shelf, we didn't think we would do that anymore. That's why we wanted to create this new thing called the Challenge, so teams could continue to fundraise, even though we didn't have Pub Mania,” Beetle said.

The Community Challenge became one of the primary ways to raise money for the Children’s Auction. Pub Mania kicked off again in 2023, this time with a 12-hour format, rather than the original 24 hours. And after two successful years of the Community Challenge in conjunction with Pub Mania, raising $386,722 this past year, Beetle said he’s confident in bringing back Pub Mania for good.

The switch is mostly a name change. The Community Challenge was a way to continue fundraising through the unique conditions during the pandemic. Pub Mania teams will still be fundraising year-round. It is mostly an administrative change to remove unnecessary volunteer time.

“It was administrative time for us to have kind of this other layer of website material, marketing material, Facebook page, email correspondence. And it was an unnecessary layer,” Beetle said.

Judi Taggart is captain for Tagg Team, an original Pub Mania team since it started in 2009. She said rebranding to Pub Mania makes it easier for the public. With the Community Challenge, Taggart said it wasn’t always clear the money went to the Children’s Auction.

“It streamlines it, because it’s clearer to the public that Pub Mania goes directly to the Children’s Auction, as it always has,” she said.

Another change is that while the Community Challenge could accommodate as many teams as wanted to participate, Pub Mania will stick with its original 30. Each Pub Mania team gets their own stool during the event, and with only 30 stools at the bar counter, additional teams can’t be added. Beetle said the core teams raised the most for the auction.

“The 30 teams of Pub Mania raised 99.5%, 99.6% of the total amount raised. And for that reason, we're very comfortable that we'll continue to raise significant amounts of money with less volunteer time involved,” he said.

If a business or group wants to fundraise for the Children’s Auction, Executive Director Jenn Kelley said they can do it on their own, and can be featured during the auction’s livestream, with a check presentation on one of the set’s couches.

“I would love to have them come to the auction, and they could have a sofa moment, which is when they come, they present a check, and we get to interview them and find out what they were up to and why they do the amazing things that they do,” she said.

If anyone is set on participating in Pub Mania, there is a waitlist. When one team retires, a new one can join. People can also join existing teams.

Taggart said her team is hosting an upcoming fundraising gift card gala. On Sunday, May 4, participants can play games to win gift cards. A location in Laconia has yet to be set. Last year, the event raised $8,000.

Kelley believes it doesn’t matter how money is raised for the Children’s Auction. She enjoys hearing of all the community efforts.

“I absolutely love to hear the stories of how people are raising money, what they're doing,” she said. “This community is so creative. From so many different ways, people are raising money.”

For more details about the event, visit childrensauction.org.