TBI 20th Anniversary Gala

Silent Auction Items

We've collected a fantastic array of items for our Silent Auction Fundraiser, which will take place during our 20th Anniversary Gala. All of our items have been generously donated by TBI Board Members, local businesses in South Lake Tahoe and beyond, and other TBI supporters. To get you in gear for bidding, we've listed our items here. We're still adding new items, so be sure to check back again before the event!

Thank you to all of our generous sponsors. All auction proceeds will benefit the Tahoe-Baikal Institute's educational programs.

Four nights in a 2-3 bedroom vacation condo or house of your choosing in the Lake Tahoe Keys. Water activities, hiking, skiing, casinos – you’ll never be bored in Tahoe! See examples of the homes available at http://www.tahoeaccommodations.com/ Valid through Dec. 31, 2010. Value $2,000. Starting bid $695.

15 days at Kihei Kai Nani timeshare condo in Maui. Room for 2 couples. Swimming pool and other facilities on site. Across the street from the beach. World class golf-courses, whale watching, and water activities nearby. Dates: May 8 – 23, 2011 or 2012. Value $1,500. Value $1,500. Starting bid $695.

Three nights in a luxurious 5-bedroom/3-bath home with pool and hot tub in Scottsdale, AZ for 10 – 12 people. Short drive to great hiking trails on Pinnacle Peak and Camelback Mountain or to world-class golf courses. Available June through November 2010. Value $1,050. Starting bid $350.

Want to have Tahoe always near you? Bid on a photographic masterwork by local artist JT Ravize. Value $700. Starting bid $200.

Seal sculpture of a Baikal Nerpa – the only seals that live in freshwater -  carved from myrtlewood, a rare hardwood. Sculptor Terry Woodall traveled to Baikal in 2008 to observe the seals in their natural habitat. Value $500. Starting bid $200.

Want to learn more about Lake Tahoe? Join UC Davis professor Geoff Schladow on a scientific sampling cruise of Lake Tahoe and a tour of the Tahoe Environmental Research Center (TERC). Up to 4 people. Value $400. Starting bid $100.

San Francisco Bay Cruise about the Nordic Tug Boat “Eternity” for up to 8 people including a visit to Angel Island in Summer or Fall 2010. Value $500. Starting bid $150.

2 hours of Spanish lessons by Lake Tahoe Community College instructor and foreign language department chair Sara Pierce. Any skill level. Available through the end of 2010. Value $140. Starting bid $50.

3 hours of Russian lessons by TBI’s Executive Director Jennifer Smith-Lee. Jennifer has extensive experience teaching Russian. Her fluency derives from extensive travels and working in Russia. Value $150. Starting bid $50.

3 hours of German lessons by Silke Rover, a native German. Living in the U.S., Silke has a good understanding of the challenges English speakers face when learning German. She has been a substitute for LTCC German classes. Value $150. Starting bid $50.

A BBQ for up to 14 people in a Tahoe Basin home at Cascade Estates hosted by former TBI board member Patricia Ronald. Value and starting bid TBA.

A fascinating book on the Sierra Nevada: “The Changing Range of Light” by Elizabeth Carmel, Geoff Schladow and Robert Coats. Value $50. Starting bid $20.


A package of 2 novels by Lake Tahoe native and TBI board member Bill Morgan: “Six Days in Siberia” and “The Joshua Line”. Both books are signed by the author. Value $40. Starting bid $15.

Framed Russian currency. Value and starting bid TBA.

Three sculptures of a Baikal Nerpa – the only seals that live in freshwater - by sculptor Terry Woodall. Carved from myrtlewood, a rare hardwood, and based on Terry's personal observations of the seals in their natural habitat. Value of each item $50. Starting bid for each item $20.

Back country ski package. Value and starting bid TBA.

Prototype of the new Lake Tahoe license plate that the California Tahoe Conservancy will soon start selling. This piece is a wall-hanging decoration only. Value: $20. Starting bid $5.

Two tickets to 8/21 Oakland A's game against the Rays: Home plate seats. Value $56. Starting bid $20.

A haircut with Jill at Acqua Hair Design in South Lake Tahoe. Value $45. Starting bid: $20.

A tattoo at Electric Pencil Tattoos.  Value $60. Starting bid $25.

Wine and appetizers at Blue Angel Café. Value and starting bid TBA.

Horse-back riding lesson at Sheridan Creek Equestrian Center in Gardnerville. Value $45. Starting bid $20.

6 hours of housekeeping by Maid in Tahoe. Value $150. Starting bid $50.

Perfume Consultation by AlpenGlitter. This auction item includes a lavish night of perfume testing and personalized suggestions for you and three of your friends.  We will briefly cover the main types of perfumes, perfume terms, fragrance history, and the perfume industry.  Then, you will have the opportunity to try hundreds of fragrances, many very rare and old. Value $100. Starting bid $35.

Perfume Basket by AlpenGlitter. Value $250. Starting bid $100.

Wine tasting and wine from Picchetti Winery. Value and starting bid TBA.