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Batavia MainStreet Launches Cybersale on eBay Batavia, IL: Batavia MainStreet is joining 19 other Illinois Main Street communities in the first ever Illinois Main Street Cyber Sale beginning next week. Other communities have used the eBay auction technique successfully, such as the 2004 Great Chicago Fire Sale which raised $243,000 to benefit the various cultural institutions. But the Illinois Main Street Cyber Sale is the first time the famed internet auction site has been used by a group of municipalities. Businesses, residents and municipal governments in participating Main Street towns have donated goods, services and "experiences" to the project which will then be auctioned off on eBay during a one-week period beginning at 9:00 pm on Tuesday, October 4, 2005 and continuing to 9:00 pm the following Wednesday, October 12 at www.ebay.com. Proceeds will be used for Main Street projects in the donor's town, such as restoration of the historic Dwight Train Depot, free Shakespeare in the park in Batavia, and streetscaping in downtown Main Street districts. "The Illinois Main Street Cyber Sale is a creative, unprecedented use of the internet," Quinn said. "It gives Main Street local businesses a global opportunity to boost their products or services, and it gives Main Street programs a needed shot-in-the-arm for some terrific local projects." More than 500 items have been donated to the Main Street Cyber Sale including a rare racing poster of the Petty family, memorabilia from Route 66 and Collinsville's "World's Largest Catsup Bottle", a Murder Mystery Dinner Theater package and canoe tour in Batavia and a charter fishing trip in Waukegan. Each item is placed on eBay with a brief description and minimum opening bid. At the conclusion of one week, the winning bid is determined for each item, that item is sent to the winning bidder and the profits go to the local Main Street program. The auction will be supervised by Marketworks, a firm specializing in online auctions. Created in 1995, eBay is the trailblazing online marketplace where millions of items are listed for auction or immediate sale. With more than 100 million registered members from around the world, eBay generated $10.6 billion in sales in the first six months of 2005. The 19 Illinois Main Street communities participating in the Cyber Sale are Aledo, Alton, Batavia, Collinsville, Crystal Lake, Danville, Dixon, Dwight, Genoa, Jacksonville, Lombard, Mascoutah, Marshall,Momence, Pittsfield, Pontiac, Prophetstown, Quincy and Waukegan. Visit www.IllinoisMainStreet.org to learn more about the Illinois Main Street Cyber Sale. Items and packages available on the Ebay Cybersale from Batavia MainStreet include: All About Me Package: Avon gift basket, Sue's Family Hair Co. manicure or pedicure, Fantastic Sam's haircut and ShapeXpress platinum membership for one month Batavia 2005 Football Poster - anonymous donor Batavia Football Fever - BHS used football jersey, miniature helmet, 2005 team photograph and two tickets to Senior night - donated by Coach Gaspari and 2005 Bulldogs "Bike Batavia" - His and Hers Bikes - quality used his and hers 5-speed bicycles with "Bike Batavia" 6' banner and two lunches from Subway - donated by Sharon Mitchell and Norm Holtz and Subway Canoe the Fox - Quality used 15' green Coleman canoe, paddles, pfd's with two box lunches from Panera Bread and canoe livery to S. Elgin - donated by Sharon Mitchell and Norm Holtz and Panera Bread Carry Out Heaven - collection of gift certificates from Pizza Hut, Domino's Pizza, Chicago Char House, Dimples, Jailhouse Pizza, Smiling Fox's Sweet Tooth and Midwest Video Value Coach Roberts Basketball Collection 1 - vintage Batavia basketball jersey and two new T-shirts from private collection - donated by Coach John Roberts Coach Roberts Basketball Collection 2 - vintage Batavia Basketball jersey and two new T-shirts from private collection - donated by Coach John Roberts Crazy About Basketball - vintage Batavia Basketball jersey, Bulls Championship plaque, two tickets to home Batavia Basketball game and BHS practice jersey - donated by Coach John Roberts and Batavia MainStreet Family Fun for Four on the Fox - weekend package donated by Comfort Inn & Suites, Mill Race Cyclery, Kane County Cougars, Funway Amusement Center, Batavia Quarry Beach and Baskin Robbins German Cuckoo Clock - Cuckoo clock - donated by Alan Blotch Lunch with a Laureate - lunch with nobel Laureate Dr. Leon Lederman and Britta McKenna at O'Brien's Pub and Grill with signed copy of his new book "Symmetry and the Beautiful Universe" and a MainStreet book bag Night Out on the Town - donated by The Venice Tavern and First Street Playhouse Night Out on the Town Too - donated by the Thai Village Restaurant and The Albright Theatre "Pasta, Passion & Pistols" - Murder Mystery Dinner for Eight - Up to eight guests play an interactive murder mystery game complete with authentic costumed provided by All Dressed Up costume shop with a fine catered Italian pasta dinner by Fantastico and hosted by First Street Playhouse. Uniquely Batavia - gift certificates donated by Bee-Attitudes Antiques, Pitz Antiques, Foltos Tonsorial Parlour, First Street Playhouse and Smiling Fox's Sweet Tooth Wild About Windmills - Tour of Batavia's windmills by local expert Bob Popeck, lunch at Kathy's Diner, windmill coasters from Image Awards and Engraving and a Challenge windmill kit from Batavia Depot Museum Wituk Martial Arts Lessons - gift certificates for 2- months of lessons in martial arts at Wituk The Batavia MainStreet Program is one of 56 not-for-profit, community
based organizations in the state of Illinois. The mission of Batavia MainStreet
is to enhance the identity of Batavia's downtown area as the heart of
our community. MainStreet members work through the four points: Design,
Economic Restructuring, Organization and Promotion to improve the downtown
district. MainStreet volunteers believe the revitalization of Downtown
Batavia is essential to our community's sense of pride, place, and heritage
for this and future generations. For more information Batavia MainStreet
or to volunteer on any of their four committees: Design, Economic Restructuring,
Organization or Promotion, please contact the office at (630) 761-3528
or email britta@downtownbatavia.com. |