Closed Naval Training Center items sold at auction

Overland Park, Kan. - An auction was the method of choice to sell an eclectic mix of items from a closed Naval Training Center in Orlando, Fla.

Items that were auctioned included clocks, signs and even a 12-foot copper steeple from the old Navy base chapel, according to the Orlando Sentinel. The steeple was purchased by an insurance broker who said he wanted the piece to top a Victorian-style home hes building in one of Orlandos historic districts.

Other pieces from the base, a 40-year-old lectern and a wood table from the old chapel, were purchased at the auction to be used in a local church. One bidder purchased an anchor chain pulley and in-ground rope holder from a training ship.

The successful auction proves that the auction method is an incredibly effective way for sellers to turn property into cash. Auctions also offer buyers the chance to walk away with something they purchased for a price they set, at only one bid higher than someone else.

Information about auctions and the industry can be found on the NAA website at www.auctioneers.org. In addition, theres a searchable database of NAA-member auctioneers, as well as a searchable calendar of NAA-member auctions across the country.

The NAA website also features a series called Auction Talk," which answers commonly asked questions about the auction industry.

The National Auctioneers Association is a nearly 6,000-member organization dedicated to advancing the auction method of marketing. Auctioneers use their unique skills to raise money for sick children at St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn., which treats children stricken with cancer and other catastrophic diseases. NAA members and affiliates have raised more than $1.4 million for the Memphis, Tenn., hospital that treats children from across the U.S. and world.

The association will conduct its annual Convention in July of 2000 in Norfolk, Va. Highlights include the intense International Auctioneer Championship, from which one man and one woman will emerge as the winners. The Convention will also feature educational sessions to advance auctioneers continuing education, networking opportunities, a Trade Show, banquets and more.