LIVE AUCTION ITEM
This item will be auctioned off during the program. You must in person to bid.

This is your opportunity to visit one of the few remaining "jewels on the lake" historic homes located on Lake Le Homme Dieu in Alexandria, MN. You and five guests will enjoy a 4-day / 3-night stay (weekend or weekdays are both acceptable) at this elegant 7,000 square-foot home on the Alexandria Chain of Lakes.

Owned by FMR supporters and friends Richard and Joyce Jones, this historic home built in 1919 includes 6 bedrooms, 5.5 baths, a wrap-around enclosed porch and 200 feet of lakeshore for your enjoyment. The massive finished basement allows for playing pool or other games or watching your favorite movie on the big screen television. There is also a large grilling area and a bonfire area near the lake for you to enjoy and experience lake life. And finally, if you are a boat owner, you are welcome to use the large dock and boat lift during your stay.

In addition, Richard and Joyce are offering an optional sunset cocktail cruise to the auction winners. The Jones will pick you up dockside in their roomy pontoon so you can enjoy cocktails refreshments and a cruise around the picturesque Alexandria Chain of Lakes at sunset.

FMR staff will assist you in working with the homeowners to schedule your stay to take place in September 2023.

LIVE AUCTION ITEM
This item will be auctioned off during the program. You must in person to bid.

Enjoy a guided paddling excursion for four on the Mississippi River with our very own river experts: FMR Executive Director Whitney Clark and former Mississippi National River and Recreation Area Superintendent Dr. John O. Anfinson.

For over 25 years, Whitney Clark has been the leader of Friends of the Mississippi River, giving a voice to our community and our river. Dr. John O. Anfinson has been researching, writing and speaking about the upper Mississippi River for over 30 years. Among his many accolades, John is a foremost Mississippi River historian, and the author of The River We Have Wrought: A History of the Upper Mississippi and River of History.

The day will begin at the Coon Rapids Dam with breakfast and coffee on the banks of the Mississippi River before embarking on a day trip to experience many of the scenic, cultural and historical sites along the upper river. You will conclude your trip at Boom Island, where FMR staff will greet you with celebratory beverages and light snacks.

This package also includes items from United by Blue (unitedbyblue.com), an ethical manufacturer of home and lifestyle goods, including The Container Kit, two Deadstock Water Bottle Slings, and two 24-oz. Insulated Steel Straw Tumblers - perfect items for your day-long excursion on the river.

LIVE AUCTION ITEM
This item will be auctioned off during the program.

The winner of this special opportunity will travel to the Driftless Flyfishing Company (minnesotaflyfishing.com) in Preston, MN to be outfitted with gear for your full-day fly fishing experience with guide Monta Hayner. Monta is Past Chair of Fly Fishing Women of Minnesota, an experienced fly fishing teacher and guide, a mentor with the MN DNR fly fishing program, Vice Chair of the Lew Jewett Chapter of Fly Fishers International and a Master Naturalist through the University of Minnesota Extension.

This package also includes lunch provided by Driftless Flyfishing Company and an Orvis fly fishing sling and double rod tube.

This excursion is for two people - all skill levels are welcome - preferably on a weekend in the spring of 2023.

The History Theatre in St. Paul is a four-time IVEY Award-winning theater and is recognized nationally as a leader in producing historical work. For more than 40 years the History Theatre has produced brave, entertaining explorations of all the histories that make up our diverse community. The History Theatre entertains, educates, and engages through creating, developing, and producing new and existing works that explore Minnesota's past and the diverse American experience. Its work provides a unique lens which links our past to the present, explores our common heritage, and illuminates our understanding of what it means to be American.

The winning bidder will receive a gift certificate good for two tickets to a History Theatre performance.

At this time the History Theatre requires all audience members to be masked regardless of vaccination status.

Renowned for its artistic excellence, remarkable versatility of musical styles and adventurous programming, The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra is widely regarded as one of the finest chamber orchestras in the world. Now in its 63rd concert season, the SPCO has recently undergone transformational change with the opening of its new home, the Ordway Concert Hall, the addition of a new generation of players, and significant changes in its artistic vision. The SPCO is primarily an unconducted ensemble that performs a broad range of repertoire from Baroque to new music and works in close collaboration with a dynamic roster of Artistic Partners.

The winning bidder will receive two vouchers for a SPCO performance. The vouchers expire June 30, 2023.

The winning bidder of this item receives a $75 gift certificate redeemable towards any virtual or in-person workshop at Minnesota Center for Book Arts. With a focus on bookbinding, printmaking, papermaking, paper marbling, and related arts, MCBA's workshops help you tap into instruction, creative time, and a community of makers. Most workshops are accessible to everyone--from complete beginners to advanced practitioners. For workshop listings and to learn more, visit: www.mnbookarts.org. The gift certificate is good through August 10, 2023

In addition, you'll be taking home a selection of 10 books from Minneapolis-based Graywolf Press.

Book list
The Trees by Percival Everett - Winner of the 2022 Anisfield-Wolf Book Award & shortlisted for the Booker Prize

Dr. No by Percival Everett

Citizen by Claudia Rankine

Wonderlands by Charles Baxter

Voice of the Fish by Lars Horn

Customs by Solmaz Sharif

On Immunity: An Inoculation by Eula Biss

Nervous System by Lina Meruane

Such Color by Tracy K. Smith

Yellow Rain by Mai Der Vang

Enjoy a day along the beautiful Wisconsin stretch of Lake Pepin, a naturally occurring lake on the Mississippi River, an hour south of the Twin Cities. Lake Pepin is located in a valley carved by the outflow of an enormous glacial lake at the end of the last Ice Age. The lake formed when the Mississippi, a successor to the glacial river, was partially dammed by a delta from a tributary stream and spread out across the ancient valley.

This handmade basket includes everything you need to enjoy a day exploring this beautiful region of the river:

· Sailing for six (6) on Lake Pepin with WIMNSail, a Lake Pepin sailing company helmed by Captain Anderson. Beth will take you and your party aboard her 30 foot sailboat for 2-3 hours of adventure anytime during 2023.

· $200 gift certificate to The Palate, a gourmet kitchen store and cooking school in Stockholm, WI.

· A bottle of Domaine des Blaïs, Côtes de Provence, Rosé wine from The Palate in Stockholm, WI

· A blanket from Cultural Cloth, a women-run social enterprise that features handmade home décor and textiles made by women artisans from around the world.