In an effort to not let the COVID pandemic stifle the futures of our youth, the Keweenaw Economic Development Alliance (KEDA) is continuing its efforts to raise funds to support students who are looking to pursue career technical education after high school. Normally, this silent auction is part of the annual Holiday Hoopla held jointly with the Keweenaw Chamber of Commerce and Keweenaw Young Professionals. With the pandemic curtailing the 2020 Holiday Hoopla gathering, the silent auction is going virtual.

Mark your calendar and join us for an online Silent Auction on Wednesday, Dec. 9 through Dec. 14 to benefit the PHF/KEDA Career and Technical Educational Scholarship program. The online auction can be accessed at https://www.biddingowl.com/CTESCHOLARSHIPS. This year’s virtual auction will have over 40 items including several unique items crafted by the CCISD and high school CTE students.

Please note: you do not need to register to view the items but if you wish to bid on items you must register. Registration is completely free. Registration collects contact information only and allows for notification of activity on an item you have bid on. Winning bidders will be notified by email with payment for the winning bid made directly to KEDA at the time the item is picked up. Pick up instructions are noted at the bottom of each item description.

The CTE scholarship program was started in 2013 with KEDA raising funds annually and providing scholarships to the nine high schools of the Copper Country ISD based on the amount of funds raised. The average scholarship was around $600. Last year KEDA and the Portage Health Foundation (PHF) created a partnership that ensures that one graduating senior from each of the high schools in Baraga, Houghton, Keweenaw, and Ontonagon Counties and the Horizons High School has available a $1,000 scholarship to pursue a certificate, one- or two-year career technical education program. PHF has committed to managing and providing the scholarships and KEDA has committed to continue to raise funds annually for the education scholarship endowment that PHF has established.

This annual silent auction is made possible by the generous support of the community, the many businesses that have donated items, and the school districts and Copper Country ISD CTE classes that have built items specifically to support this skilled trade auction.