Our visitor: Pat Grant of Avid Auction
Posted by Jason Suttie
on Aug 05, 2015
Pat Grant was a chaplain. He watched the movie " Taken "and was upset at the exploitation of children depicted in the movie. He decided if the opportunity came to do something ab
out it, he would. Shortly after making the decision, a member of his congregation asked him to be the auctioneer at a charity fund raising auction. He refused until he learned the proceeds were earmarked to help fund a justice project for law enforcement in third world countries to prevent child trafficking. Pat found his passion for auctioneering .
To learn to be an auctioneer, Pat went to The Western College of Auctioneers in Billings, Montana to learn the craft. After mastering saying tongue twisters in the proper cadence and all the other requirements, Pat graduated. He spent over a year doing estate actions and acting as "ringman", the auctioneers assistant before getting into main stream auctions.
Pat works with six Rotary Clubs for annual fund raising auctions and assists other charitable organizations such as "Habitat for Humanity", hospices and hospitals with auction fund raisers. He did an impromptu auction of donated appetizers, beverages and services that raised $250 to support the Starfish program, funding the purchase of backpacks for the kids.