Just a Little History...

The “YWCA All-Star Celebrity Auction” started over 22 years ago, and in its run, has cummulatively raised $750,000. The money raised each year goes to support the -YWCA’s domestic violence shelter, 24-hour crisis hotline and essential career development programs.

The first celebrity host for this event was Opry darling Minnie Pearl. In years that followed, Brenda Lee, Waylon Jennings, Sweethearts of the Rodeo, Pam Tillis, Lynn Anderson, Crook and Chase, Kathy Matea and Charlie Daniels have all served as celebrity hosts.

Martina McBride became involved with the YW in 1995. She had just released her signature hit “Independence Day,” which deals with the problem of domestic violence, and it was at that time that she became more involved in women's issues. So much so that as she toured the United States, she began to speak to young women through the YWCA. Her subsequent hit “Broken Wing” further revealed her dedication to bringing this important message to the public. View these and other Martina videos at: http://www.cmt.com/artists/az/mcbride_martina/videos.jhtml

Because of her dedication to the cause, McBride hosted the auction in 1996. After hosting again in 1997, the auction was officially named “The Celebrity Auction with Martina McBride.” This year’s event will be Martina’s eleventh consecutive year to host the auction during The Country Music Festival, formerly known as Fan Fair.

The auction is completely free, and a festival ticket is not required. This makes the auction a great way for local people to have a taste of the “Fan Fair” experience without having to buy an expensive ticket a year in advance.

For those wanting to attend but not break the bank on bidding, $10 grab bags filled with posters, cds and other promotional items can be purchased. These popular items usually sell out before the first item is put up on the auction block.

Many items go for anywhere between $100 to $500. These might include a shirt Ronnie Dunn wore on stage, or a hatchet from Trace Adkins' garage or a maternity dress from Faith Hill! In other words, although the YW hopes to raise as much money as possible, this is not a fundraiser for only the “hoity-toity.” Regular folks can have a great time bidding, too!

However, high bidders do attend and take home such treasures as the white tuxedo worn by Garth Brooks in the "Red Strokes" video. When the gavel hit the table on that item, the new owner was $14,000 lighter. Framed, handwritten song lyrics are also hot items and have sold for several thousand dollars each.

Every year Jim Stevens Auction and Realty has generously donated their services to handle the professional auction process. Surprise guests have also been known to stop by, which is always a big hit with the crowd. In 2005, Miranda Lambert, Jimmy Wayne, Keith Anderson and Naomi Judd were just a few of the celebrities who thrilled the audience by auctioning their personal items.

The annual auction now draws crowds up to 500 attendees and would not be possible without he support of the CMA, amazing sponsors like Verizon Wireless and a loyal volunteer base.