Auction dates: Friday, November 17 through Friday, December 8

Marblehead, MA -- Finish your holiday shopping early this year and support the arts and dance. The North Shore Civic Ballet (NSCB), a nonprofit dance company based in Marblehead, Massachusetts, kicks off its annual holiday online auction on Friday, November 17.

The NSCB's auction website page, www.biddingforgood.com/ballet, opens for bids on Friday, November 17 at 6:00 p.m. and continues through Friday, December 8, closing at 6:00 p.m. The auction's proceeds provide dancers with the resources and training they need to study ballet in the North Shore region.

Over the past three years, the arts and dancers in the area experienced hardships. "This year, we ask the public to support the holiday auction by donating items and placing bids to raise much needed funds for resources aspiring dancers in the region require to study ballet. Businesses, as well as patrons, benefit from participating in the online auction because people have an opportunity to try restaurants and other experiences they might never have done previously," explained Judy Moynihan, member, NSCB board of trustees.

Bidders will find a range of items to purchase, including gift certificates and gift cards from retail shops. With the holiday season quickly approaching, the time is right to shop and find a special gift for a loved one, friend, colleague, or volunteer.

A range of gift certificates and gift cards are available for restaurants and eateries, such as La Qchara Beverly, The Landing, Manhattan Sandwich Company, Shubie’s Marketplace, and Minos Roast Beef. Give a loved one a handmade bag by Christine Stuart; a gift-wrapped Tea Forte, comprised of lotus flavored tea leaves; a gift-wrapped assortment of Harbor Sweets Ultimate Collection handmade chocolates; lingerie from Liz Steinfeld Lingerie; or an arrangement from the Flower House. Take care of yourself in 2024 and start dancing or exercising and bid upon a gift certificate from the Marblehead School of Ballet or a one-hour massage by Kelley Newton. Art enthusiasts can bid upon classes at Acorn Gallery School of Art or a gift certificate from Francisco Urena for a photo, matte, and frame. Shoppers should check the auction’s website, www.biddingforgood.com/ballet, regularly, as new items will be added to bid upon throughout the duration of the auction.

"With the public's support and contributions to the holiday auction, we can help aspiring dancers' dreams come true and provide scholarships to students experiencing financial hardships. Our online auction is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week beginning on Friday, November 17 at 6 p.m. Bidders can access the online auction from any location worldwide. People can still get involved by volunteering with the ballet company or making a purchase," said Paula K. Shiff, Artistic Director, NSCB.

Donations to the auction are still being accepted and may be dropped off at the NSCB's home at the Marblehead School of Ballet, located at 115 Pleasant Street in Marblehead, Massachusetts. Donors are asked to call 781-631-6262 first to arrange a drop-off time.

Financial contributions are also welcome and may be made directly to the ballet company. Donations may be made conveniently online at https://marbleheadschoolofballet.com/donate/ or by check payable to the North Shore Civic Ballet and mailed to the Marblehead School of Ballet, 115 Pleasant Street, Marblehead, Massachusetts 01945. The NSCB is a 501(c) 3, tax-exempt organization and all contributions are tax-deductible as permissible by law.

For more information about the North Shore Civic Ballet, the auction, and volunteer opportunities, call 781-631-6262 or visit the organization's website http://marbleheadschoolofballet.com/ballet/the-company/ and on Facebook http://on.fb.me/1wh3fnp, on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/marblehead_school_of_ballet/, and Twitter https://twitter.com/MSB_ballet.