HOT TICKETS
THIRD ANNUAL "FIRETENDERS" AUCTION THIS WEEKEND
BY CHRIS EDMONDS
Two years ago, bartender Holly Witherell and fire fighter Jeff Allen kicked around the idea of a charity date auction in their own heads, independent of one another. Two years on, the result of their brainstorming and subsequent joining of forces, The Nantucket Firetenders Auction, returns for its third installment this Saturday.

ROB BENCHLEY/The Independent

Witherell and Allen crossed paths and trains of thought, as so many islanders do, at the Rose & Crown. Over the course of their conversation, their separately held ideas for a benefit auction merged into one.

"I had always wanted to do an event where we'd sell off bartenders for dates to raise money for charity," Witherell said. "Jeff was in the bar one night and we started talking about it. It turned out he wanted to do the same thing with firefighters."

The site of the coming together later played the site of the first get-together, with Rick Ulmer of the Rose & Crown offering to host the event. The event, held on Saturday, Oct. 20, starts at 7:30 p.m. at the Rose & Crown. The auction begins at 8:30 p.m. with a series of donated items on the block before the date portion of the night gets underway. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door. Tickets may be purchased at the Rose & Crown, the fire station and Fooods for Here and There.

The auction benefits the Shriners Hospital for Children in Boston and the newly established Bardsley Fund. Shriners-Boston treats children affected by fire across the country and the globe. The 30 bed facility provides comprehensive rehabilitative and reconstructive care for free to children who have been burned.

The Bardsley Fund, named for the Bardsley family who were involved in a fire in their Madaket home in 1987, was recently set up to benefit and support island people and families in similar situations and with simi- lar needs, Allen said. The fund was established through a portion of the money raised during last year's Firetenders Auction. The event drew in $25,000 in 2005 and $65,000 in 2006.

"We'd like to surpass last year, but whatever we can do is really fantastic," said Allen. "There are some difficult financial times that are afoot right now. I think we'll do very well, though. It's gained such popularity that people come up to us and say they want to be a part of it."

Given the riches brought in during the first two auctions, Witherell hopes this year to equal or surpass the 2006 total. The "firetenders" - a combination of "fire fighter" and "bartender" - will be joined by other island notables. The expansion of the dating pool should keep the evening fresh, Witherell said.

"This year, we wanted to open it up to the community and bring in different groups," Witherell said. "We have police officers, people from the bank, actors, bartenders and firefighters. We want to get other people involved."

The bill so far includes 16 dates, eight men and eight women, but some "surprise guests" will make appearances as well, Witherell said.

Among the 16, Grace Bardsley, one of the Bardsley children, will be auctioned off at this year's event. Her sister Cathy, who spent time at Shriners- Boston and now works for the group in Washington D.C., will also be on hand at the Rose & Crown.

Allen, last year's top draw at $2,600, and Witherell, who's been had for $1,200 and $2,200 the last two years, will be on the block as well, despite the bouts of butterflies that accompany the moment before the bidding begins.

"It's that nervousness you get, like a performer, just before you get on stage," said Witherell, "but once you're out there, and you're in the moment, you

just love it." I