Silent Auction -- March 12 meeting

At $25 a year, CRBA membership is the deal of the century. Beekeeping is something you don't want to learn from reading a book! A club or a mentor are highly recommended for beginners. Highly!

But that low, low membership fee doesn't leave us tons of money to do all we'd like.

So, it's time for a silent auction. Proceeds will go to buying a projector for the club. The great speakers we get will soon be able to give great PowerPoint presentations, as well!

Time: 7:30, Thursday, March 12
Place: St. Aidan's Church, 3703 St Aidan's Street (map)

And the items up for grabs...

From supportive local businesses:

• $25 gift certificate from Pizzeria Prima Strada, authentic Neapolitan pizza in Victoria (best in town, in my humble opinion)
• Stuff from Bees 'n Glass... details below (Bees 'n Glass are Larry and Marilyn for those new to the club)
• And valued at $150... a limited edition print by James Bay artist Kirsten Brand! This print is #11 of 50, entitled "Sounds of Victoria". It is 11x14 on rag paper and is gorgeous. Bring your cheque book on Thursday!
• 10 Pierco (guaranteed for 10 years!) Dadant-sized foundations from Flying Dutchman (thanks, Stan and Cheryl!)
  

Housewares

• Hot pads -- brand new, handmade, matching fabric holders for pot handles or to set hot dishes on. (Thanks, Katie D. and Katie's mom.)
• Bottled water stand and carafe -- and maybe a painting (Thanks, Adaline and Alan!)
• A small framed print of Montmartre (Thanks, John!)
• A bee-themed jar holder/display thingy (Thanks again, John!)
• Stained glass print (thanks, Shirley!)
  

Books

• Atlas of World War II (Thanks, Bill S)
• Audio book "Marley and Me"... great for road trips! (Thanks, Adaline and Alan!)

Beekeeping

• Danish bee jacket/veil... yes, from Denmark! (courtesy of Bees 'n Glass)
• 5 honey buckets... empty, but they hold 30 lbs when full (thanks again, Bill)
• roll of labels for large honey jar lids (thanks, Bill! Seeing a trend here?)
• a set of 4 tie-down straps (thanks, Joan!)
  

More beekeeping

• My bet for the most hotly contested item: free extracting of 30 frames (Thanks, Brian!)
• A deep super, with 10 frames (thanks again, Brian)
  
• A venerable old smoker, veteran of a thousand encounters with stinging insects!
• 6 swarm protection cages (thanks, Heinz!)
• 2 lbs of pollen for feeding bees... selling for $18/lb at Babes (thanks, Frank)
  

And more beekeeping

• 10 complete Dadant (medium) frames (thanks, Larry and Marilyn)
• inner top cover for a hive (keep yer hands off, it's mine!)
• a "Beekeeper Only" parking sign (thanks again to Larry and Marilyn)
• beekeeping gloves, exchangeable for the right size (thanks Grant!)
  

Bees, but not honey bees

• bumblebee houses by Bruce Lockhart... these things flew off the table at Seedy Saturday at $25 a piece... Garden stores charge up to $75 for similar ones... just sayin', is all.
  
• Nesting block for blue orchard mason bees... with 25 cocoons to get your pollination fleet going... and you can call Bill Spriggs for advice! (thanks, Bill, and for the inner cover, too)

Other

• coloured deep wax foundation, great for making rolled candles (thanks, Bill)
• bottle of blackberry wine (thanks, Wil!)
• CD of French baritone Marc Boucher, singing the songs of Theodore Dubois (thanks, John)

Capital Region Beekeepers Association

The Capital Region Beekeepers Association is a club in Victoria, BC, Canada.

We have about 100 members, who get together monthly for talks and demonstrations on beekeeping. We are a friendly, relaxed bunch who are happy to help out beginners. Our members have a combined zillion years of beekeeping experience.

Most of us are hobbyists with under 10 hives, but we also have a couple of commercial beekeepers who attend, as well as several former bee inspectors for BC and Alberta.