"Hurricane Whistle" auction here...We have a winna

brewerpaul · Post by **brewerpaul** » Thu Sep 08, 2005 4:59 am

Yowzah, yowzah, yowzah! I can't believe my eyes.
Folks, when I went to bed last night, the bidding stood at $180. I lay awake most of the night picturing the bidding going up and up and up . I thought for sure that this morning it would be at LEAST up to $500 for this worthy cause. Imagine my chagrin when I found no new bids this morning

Let's keep'er going!

With this type of auction format, a last minute eBay style auction blitz won't be very practical (plus, the auction deadline of midnight Friday is after beddy bye time for this middle aged whistlemaker and I probably won't be up to receive and post late bids) so examine your finances and make your very best offer now.

brewerpaul · Post by **brewerpaul** » Thu Sep 08, 2005 4:52 pm

Thank you verrah much.. the bid is now $185. Do I hear $190?

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I'm not 100% certain yet, but it appears that if I make this donation via my wife's college (Russell Sage in Troy, NY) they will match the donation, so your bids will go further. They're matching the first $10,000 of donations they receive, so it depends on when we get this in.

brewerpaul · Post by **brewerpaul** » Fri Sep 09, 2005 6:05 am

Ladies and Gentlemen... we have a bid of TWO HUNDRED AND SIXTY DOLLARS! That's right -- two hundred and sixty dollars!

This is from a woman who is well aware that she could buy a whistle from me directly for less than that. She tells me that she really can't afford to spend this money, but she is moved by the plight of Katrina's victims. She also hopes that she is outbid, so please, let's help her along with the hurricane victims...

Do I hear $265?

khl · Post by **khl** » Fri Sep 09, 2005 5:06 pm

Paul,

Do you know if the matching funds from the university will go through?

brewerpaul · Post by **brewerpaul** » Fri Sep 09, 2005 7:10 pm

khl wrote:Paul,

Do you know if the matching funds from the university will go through?

That will depend on when I get the funds to them, I think.

My wife found another source of matching funds too. Federated department stores (Filenes, Macys, etc) is matching donations up to a million dollars, so if Russell Sage does not pan out, I'll send it there. They are donating directly to the Red Cross.

brewerpaul · Post by **brewerpaul** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 5:43 am

Many thanks to all who followed this auction and bid so generously. The winning bid was received last night at 11:15 and was for THREE HUNDRED DOLLARS! I have notified the winner (who may identify himself here if he so chooses) and will be shipping the whistle out ASAP.

Really great people here-- makes me proud to be a part of this community.

Joseph E. Smith · Post by **Joseph E. Smith** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 5:59 am

Great news! Well done Paul and to the winning bidder... you have a great heart.

khl · Post by **khl** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 7:41 am

Well, I'm soon to be the recipient of a rather stunning looking Eb whistle by Paul Busman. I admit to feeling a bit conflicted to be giving to a worthy cause and then to get something so nice in return. But Paul has done a good thing in putting this up for auction and finding matching donations--really helpful to know this will be doubled.

I'll report back when the whistle arrives. I intend to hold it in unique regard.

Should any of the regulars on C&F (or other whistle boards as well) ever find yourselves visiting the North Shore of Oahu, you are welcome to stop by and play this. Seriously, PM me and we'll arrange a meeting. Not too many whistlers on the Island and it would be great to meet some of you.

And if any of you with connections could please ask Joanie Madden or Tony Hinnigan to stop by and play a tune or two, I promise they'd have a very appreciative audience.

avanutria · Post by **avanutria** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 7:56 am

Wow, a hawaiian whistler meetup, I'd love something like that. Wrong side of the planet though

Congrats on your new whistle!

jkrazy52 · Post by **jkrazy52** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 10:34 pm

Paul, it's a wonderful thing you've done with this donation -- especially with finding matching funds.

Hope you enjoy the new whistle, Keith!

God Bless both of you!

Judy

Kingfisher · Post by **Kingfisher** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 12:35 am

Congratulations and best of luck with the new whistle , Keith. Hope you get a lot of enjoyment from it . Nicely done , Paul !! You're a class act !

God Bless and Keep You , Both !!

Unseen122 · Post by **Unseen122** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 8:53 am

Congrats to both of you.

brewerpaul · Post by **brewerpaul** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 7:00 pm

People never cease to amaze me.. The person who posted the winning bid of $300 for the whistle sent me his check today-- for $325! He said that in light of the cause he wanted to do a little bit more, and wished it could be more. What a guy! Many, many thanks.

Denny · Post by **Denny** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 7:16 pm

Nice, Keith, very nice!

khl · Post by **khl** » Sat Sep 17, 2005 7:28 am

Paul's whistle arrived on Friday. Truly beautiful. And it sounds and plays just as wonderfully. My only regret was the breaking in time recommended--only twenty minutes to start with. Hard to put it down.

Thanks for doing this, Paul, and for the other good things you are helping with.

The air Buachaill On Eirne (Come by the Hills) is one of my favorites. There are some rather nice hills here (among other things), so I hope some of you will have the chance to come by Hawaii and give this whistle a play as long as you're in the neighborhood.