DESERT HAVEN BIDS GOODBYE TO AUCTION ORGANIZATION WILL FOCUS ON SEEKING GRANTS, DONATIONS.

Byline: Daily News

LANCASTER -- Desert Haven Enterprises' annual auction, the largest in the Antelope Valley and a local tradition for 29 years, is no more.

Desert Haven, which provides vocational training and job placement services, is giving up the auction to look for less-demanding ways to obtain funds, including seeking grants and corporate donations.

``Back 15 or even 10 years ago, it was much easier for us to plan, coordinate and to put on the event. We had the time and we had the manpower,'' said Lou Bozigian, longtime board member, auction charter member and multiyear auction committee general chairman.

Executive Director Jenni Moran said the auctions -- which raised hundreds of thousands of dollars annually -- were fun, but over the past several years they also took up Desert Haven staffers' time for six to eight months a year.

``In an organization this size, with nearly 100 staff serving nearly 400 persons with disabilities, that simply cannot be,'' Moran said. ``For this reason, the board of directors took the absolute most appropriate course of action to ensure the well-being of the staff and the overall continued health and long-term success of this organization. Our first priority must always be the individuals whom we serve.''

In its search for other funds, she said, Desert Haven Enterprises in the past 18 months has been awarded more than $140,000 for a variety of purposes including a new roof for the main building, expansion of the restrooms in the workshop to include accessible stalls, refurbishment of the administration/program building and equipping a day training activity center.

The auction work began changing several years ago as the community-based auction committee changed into a primarily board-operated committee, with increasing dependence upon Desert Haven staff in the process and the dwindling of the previous volunteer base.

``In fact, at its inception, the auction was conducted by a separate, community-based committee comprised of many individuals from all walks of life, businessmen and -women, local leaders, parents and others who had a vested interest in our mission. For many years it was a completely volunteer-driven event, permitting the staff to effectively run the day-to-day operations of the organization and to participate as they chose to do,'' Moran said.

Desert Haven leaders said they now are reticent to continue to call upon Desert Haven staffers to forgo their primary work while organizing the auction.

``It was exhausting the staff and jeopardizing the whole of the organization in the process,'' Bozigian said.

While the Desert Haven Auction will now become a thing of the past, Moran said there will be a variety of ways for the local community to participate.

``We are in the process of establishing a diversified, fundraising program for the organization; one that will permit our longtime base of faithful donors, buyers, auction participants and others to continue to partner with us in support of our mission to persons with developmental disabilities.''

As part of this program, the board and administration are considering an annual gala event, a donor wall, and even a gift catalog, in addition to their grant-seeking and corporate-donation activities.