NEWS

Save your sanity and a historic place at this fun, online auction

Indiana Landmarks’ “Auction to the Rescue” goes live and virtual April 19.

There’s never been a time when people were in greater need of a getaway, and Indiana Landmarks is offering up some great, safe solutions to stave off pandemic doldrums. At the same time, the organization will raise money to protect Indiana’s historic gems.

The nonprofit’s annual fund-raiser, Rescue Party, moves online this year with the “Auction to the Rescue” via Facebook Live at 7 p.m., April 29. Indiana Landmarks’ President Marsh Davis will auction exclusive experiences and overnight stays, including getaway packages to the historic West Baden Springs Hotel and the recently opened Bottleworks Hotel in the former Coca-Cola bottling plant near downtown Indianapolis.

Also on the auction block are a private tour of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (complete with a hands-on pit crew experience), and a private downtown Chicago architecture tour and overnight stay in the Windy City, among other getaways.

Plus, a silent auction open from 12 a.m. April 19 to 12 p.m. May 2 invites you to bid on additional getaways, custom art and more. For example, take a private tour of the Miller House and Garden in Columbus, stay overnight on a hilltop at the restored Beem House in Spencer, or head to West Lafayette for a private tour of restoration in-progress at Samara, the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed John and Catherine Christian House, celebrated as one of the famous architect’s most fully realized works.

The auction benefits Indiana Landmarks’ Endangered Places Program — restoring and revitalizing places threatened by demolition, neglect, or abandonment.

“We might not be able to gather in person for Rescue Party, but we can come together virtually to raise funds to invest in important landmarks, places that bring economic opportunities to neighborhoods and communities around the state,” Davis said.

Places on Indiana Landmarks’ current 10 Most Endangered List include Gary Roosevelt High School – one of only three high schools in Indiana constructed exclusively for African Americans and once one of the largest African American high schools in the Midwest – and Indianapolis’ east-side Church of the Holy Cross, established in 1921 by Irish immigrants. See the entire list here.

There are two ways to get involved in the auction: Head to Indiana Landmarks’ Facebook page at 7 p.m., April 29 for the online Auction to the Rescue!, or, place your bids during the Silent Auction, which begins at 12 a.m. April 19 and continues until 12 p.m. May 2. You can register in advance for the live auction at CharityAuctionsToday.

Indiana Landmarks revitalizes communities, reconnects us to our heritage, and saves meaningful places. With nine offices located throughout the state, Indiana Landmarks helps people rescue endangered landmarks and restore historic neighborhoods and downtowns. People who join Indiana Landmarks receive its bimonthly magazine, Indiana Preservation. For more information on the not-for-profit organization, call 317-639-4534, 800-450-4534, or visit www.indianalandmarks.org.

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MEDIA CONTACT: Mindi Woolman, Director of Marketing and Communications, Indiana Landmarks, 317-639-4534, 317-417-1204 (cell), mwoolman@indianalandmarks.org

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