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SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN — “Giving Tuesday” is right around the corner — the global day of giving that encourages philanthropy and celebrates generosity worldwide. Always the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, Giving Tuesday is Nov. 30 this year. Whirlpool Corporation is giving Southwest Michigan the opportunity to participate in the spirit of Giving Tuesday — one day later — and benefit United Way, and for just one day but 10.

Whirlpool Corporation is holding an online community basket auction from Dec. 1-10 at uwsm.org. The auction begins at 12:01 a.m. on Dec. 1 and ends at 2 p.m. on Dec. 10. On the website, bidders will find photos of the baskets, lists of items in the baskets, and total basket values, as well as the dates and locations to pick up the baskets. Items have been donated by community businesses and individuals, and all proceeds from sales will go to the Whirlpool Corporation employee pledge campaign for United Way.

Basket themes include:

• Axe throwing
• Boating
• Bird and butterfly garden basket
• Bread bar holiday
• Coloma experience
• Cozy Christmas
• Gardening with gladiator
• Gladiator garage
• Happy hour chill
• Laundry hero
• Local arts package
• Snow day emergency kit
• St. Joe gift cards
• Wine
• and more

The community basket auction is the brainchild of Shelitha McKee, a customer relations manager at Whirlpool Corporation and a long-time leader of the company’s employee pledge campaign for United Way. She has spearheaded an internal basket raffle at the company to benefit United Way in recent years, and because of its success, the campaign committee decided to take the basket concept community-wide as an auction this year, in addition to the internal raffle.

“We’re so excited that we can offer baskets to the whole community as an auction because the baskets are so creative and fun and people love them,” McKee said. “We know this auction will give a big boost to our campaign to raise funds for United Way and support the impactful work they do in our community.”

Companies that donated items and sponsored baskets include:

• 1st Source Bank
• Alex’s Veggies
• Children’s Music Workshop
• Coloma Township Police Department
• Fluff N’ Suds
• Holt Bosse
• Local Pour
• Lumberjax: Urban Axe Throwing
• Martin’s Super Markets
• Mid-West Family
• PhycoTech
• Pier 1000
• RMB Capital
• Starks Family Funeral Homes
• The Livery
• Well of GRACE Ministries
• Vomela

Whirlpool Corporation

• YMCA of Greater Michiana

 

To view auction items and bid, visit uwsm.org.