ROCKPORT - A large crowd, three silent auctions, a live auction and an online auction helped PAWS Animal Adoption Center with their ninth annual Auction for the Animals that took place on Thursday, November 29, at the Samoset Resort. It was the third year the event was held at the Samoset.

PAWS Executive Director Shelly Butler said the event is their biggest fundraiser of the year and it was their goal to raise $65,000. 

Auction services was provided by Ruth Lind of Moxie Auctions in Woolwich. Lind has been an auctioneer since 2011 and had an interesting career before that.

“I was a hot air balloon pilot for 30 years before that,” she said. “I flew all over the world. I was the editor of Ballooning Magazine for a long time. I was a real estate developer until about 2008 and decided it was time to retire. I went to my quilting room and was blissfully happy sitting there and making quilts.”

She said on day she was asked to make some announcements and that’s when her world changed. 

“The announcements were for the Maine Quilt Show in Augusta,” she said. “They called and said that was really fun what you did and we want to have a live auction next year and will you be our auctioneer?”

Lind said yes and decided she better go to school and learn how to be an auctioneer. 

“I went to auction school and it was so much fun I never looked back,” she said.

Shelly Butler, executive director for PAWS took the stage to thank all the sponsors who helped make the auction possible and introduce Lind.

Lind got things underway quickly.

Lind called for attendees to make donations without bidding. She got one $5,000 donation, one at $2,500, six at $1,000, eight at $500, 12 at $250  and 18 at $100 getting the auction off to a good start .

The online auction does not end until December 2.

Enjoy the gallery of people at the auction. You can donate to PAWS at any time by visiting their website at https://www.pawsadoption.org/