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[BigPete]

Auto Assembly Europe 2011 Charity Auctions!

As we said before the convention, this year's raised funds will be donated to IM (Individuell Människohjälp). A direct English translation of the name would be Individual Humanitarian Aid.

IM are based in Lund, Sweden and have been active since 1938. They work with long term plans in thirteen countries, focusing on health care, education, and the ability for people to provide for themselves. They also have local programs for school children, homeless, the elderly and disabled, and run several fair trade stores.

You can visit their website here but some pages are only available in Swedish.

We chose this charity because as a small-scale one, less funds go towards administrative costs and more is put directly to use! IM has a 90-account, a special, authorized account type for charity organizations only, which is a guarantee that they meet certain criteria. Every organisation with a 90-account is monitored by SFI, a Swedish authority for control of fundraising projects.

We raised a massive 9655 SEK this year, and we are very happy about that! Our deepest gratitude and thanks go to everyone who donated items and placed bids!
We want your opinions on exactly what to spend the money on though!

Naturally, we will provide some sort of evidence once the donation has been made!

Select as few or as many options in the poll as you like. We will then use the money in a ratio based on the most popular ones

Here's more detailed info about the different choices:

* Goats to support families in Zimbabwe - IM gives goats to orphans as well as families in Zimbabwe. Goats have milk very rich in nutrients, which is perfect for children. They are social animals who enjoy the company of humans, they are extremely easy to care for with minimum effort, so even a lonely child can manage one! One goat can give birth to up to four kids every year, giving the families an income if they sell them. In Zimbabwe, a goat is a sign of wealth and gives the owners a higher social status. Goats also provide great fertilizer to increase harvests One goat costs 150 SEK.

* School fees for girls in Malawi - In Malawi, most girls are forced to quit school after one or two years to help out at home instead. By paying their school fees, you help the girls get an education. They can start a family of their own later, get away from poverty, and change society! Girls who have an education more often make decisions better for their overall health. Girls with an education see all the benefits of having one and are more likely to put their own children in school. Sending one girl to school for nine years costs 300 SEK.

* Ecological coffee plantations in El Salvador - Creates an income for the numerous single parents living in El Salvador who are struggling to give their children a future. Part of the returns are used to run a daycare centre for the children of single parents. There, the children are given ecological fruits and vegetables from the plantations. The people working in the plantations can provide for the children, and are paid reasonable wages. The plantations are free from chemicals such as pesticides and insecticides. The soil is used in a sustainable way that won't damage the environment. One coffee plantation costs 70 SEK.

* Toilets in India - IM builds toilets in schools and out on the countryside. A toilet provides security and better hygiene. When there are no toilets, the only option is to go outdoors. Particularly girls and women are more vulnerable because of this, and toilets provide a sense of privacy and security. For girls, a toilet also means they can stay in school when it's "that time of the month" instead of staying at home as is the common practice today. A toilet is also a great way to increase hygiene and help prevent bacteria and lethal diseases from spreading. One toilet costs 1300 SEK.

* Bicycles for volunteers in Zimbabwe - enables volunteers to travel between villages quicker and to visit people living with HIV and AIDS. A massive 10% of the people in Zimbabwe have HIV/AIDS. Villages are far from each other and petrol is scarce. With a bicycle, volunteers can visit more villages and more people every week, and the time in between visits is significantly shortened. The volunteers also educate friends and family in how to care for a person suffering from HIV/AIDS. One bicycle costs 650 SEK.

* Trees in the Himalayas - planting apple and mango trees is a great way to support the many exile Tibetans living in India and Nepal. They provide families with food, shelter, and income, as well as a sense of purpose and something to do. India in particular is heavily polluted, and planting trees helps create fresh oxygen. The roots of the trees also binds water and help prevent floods, and keep the fertile soil in place so you can grow other crops as well! One tree costs 25 SEK.

* Cash donation - this option is just what it sounds like. We give all of the donated money to IM to do with as they please It'll be easier and quicker but won't let us see exactly what the money is used for.



And here is a full breakdown on what each item went for in the auction:

Saturday

1. G1 Prime sketch by Simon Williams - 190 SEK
2. Robot Heroes Rattrap / Megatron signed by Scott McNeil - 150 SEK
3. Signed photo of Neil Ross - 50 SEK
4. Signed photo of Hal Rayle - 250 SEK
5. Signed photo of Shia LaBeouf - 70 SEK
6. Signed photo of Isabel Lucas - 50 SEK
7. Auto Assembly RID Prime postcard signed by Neil Kaplan - 60 SEK
8. Auto Assembly G1 Bumblebee/Spider-Man postcard signed by Dan Gilvezan - 100 SEK
9. Signed photo of Peter Cullen - 320 SEK (plus an extra 30 SEK donation, totalling 350 SEK)
10. Diaclone model kit - 75 SEK
11. RTS Windcharger - 100 SEK
12. PS2 2007 Movie Game - 30 SEK
13. HFTD Optimus Prime - 390 SEK
14. Signed photo of Corey Burton - 230 SEK
15. ROTF Mudflap - 30 SEK

Total Saturday: 2125 SEK

Sunday

1. Jagex t-shirt - 100 SEK
2. Signed photo of Michael Chain - 300 SEK
3. Auto Assembly RID Mirage & Sideburn postcard signed by Wally Wingert - 90 SEK
4. Auto Assembly Beast Wars Megatron postcard signed by David Kaye - 275 SEK
5. Signed photo of Tara Strong - 500 SEK
6. Signed photo of Tania Gunadi - 250 SEK
7. Signed photo of Rosie Huntington-Whiteley - 200 SEK
8. Signed photo of Frank Welker - 1500 SEK
9. Auto Assembly 2009 script reading script, Ian's personal copy! Signed by Ian James Corlett, Gregg Berger and Simon Furman - 600 SEK
10. Legends Class Movie Ratchet - 60 SEK
11. 27 assorted movie Robot Heroes - 160 SEK
12. Robotech DVD - 25 SEK
13. Armada Sea Minicon Team - 60 SEK
14. Energon Unicron - 500 SEK
15. Mixcoatl - 200 SEK
16. ROTF Limited Edition Blu-Ray box - 160 SEK
17. Limited Edition 2007 Movie DVD with Robot Heroes - 180 SEK
18. Car Symbols (4 sets) - 150 SEK, 200 SEK, 160 SEK, 150 SEK
19. TFC Inferno - 350 SEK
20. DOTM Voyager Optimus Prime - 150 SEK
21. Issue 80 Script, Signed by Simon Furman - 150 SEK
22. War Within Script Set, Signed by Simon Furman - 155 SEK
23. DOTM Voyager Prime 2 - 155 SEK
24. Armada Prime - 750 SEK

Total Sunday: 7530 SEK


Grand total: 9655 SEK

[simes]

Already placed my votes!

As with Pete, I just want to thank everyone who donated items or placed bids (successfully or not) in the two auctions at the convention. You all helped us to raise an astonishing amount of money and you really did us all proud. Compared with the main Auto Assembly convention, this was a much more successful auction when compared to the number of people who attended the convention, and I hope that we can build on this for next year.

If there are any autographs that you would like to see in the auction next year, or any artists whose work you'd like to see on offer, please let me know and I'll see what I can arrange!

Simon

[gravebot]

It's really difficult for me to decide who should benefit and who will not. Is there anyway we could like divide the total sum to all these things? Or will it be too much busy work?

[BigPete]

All of the options will get a share. The poll is just how much you people want to allocate for each thing

[palaste]

School fees for girls in Malawi was my first choice right at the start. Equal opportunities for both genders has always been a basic ideology of mine, whether it's men over women or women over men. Goats to support families in Zimbabwe was my second choice, as I have heard Zimbabwe has a very high poverty rate.

[DkConvoy]

Well that's alot of cash!
Dont say transformers-fans aint generous!

...


Pete, Im still mad at you for bidding me over on that Tara Strong autograph..
*stare*

[Smokescreen]

Seriously, I believe education, especially for girls, is the most important thing in developing countries. Anything physical can be misused or stolen, but if a girl can get a decent education she can have a better life overall.