Those looking to contribute to the holiday cheer of downtown Edwardsburg will have their chance late next month.

In order to raise money for Christmas decorations, the Edwardsburg Uptown Improvement Association will be hosting a paddle auction from 2 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 23 at the Edwardsburg American Legion, 25751 US-12. The UIA will be auctioning off handmade and themed baskets and other household items. Tickets to the auction will be $5. All money raised will go toward purchasing lighted garland to decorate Library Park during the holiday season.

The paddle auction will differ from a traditional auction where items are given to the highest bidder. Instead, the UIA auction will be more similar to a raffle, said organizer Roseann Marchetti.

The auction will work by giving each participant a numbered paddle and a cup to place in front of them. Then, each time an item is up for auction, if they are interested, the participant will place a number of quarters in the cup in front of them, either 25 or 50 cents depending on the value of the item. The auctioneer will then draw a number, and if the number matches the participants paddle number, they win the auction and exchange the quarters for the item.

“We will have beautiful baskets, jewelry and scarves,” Marchetti said. “For maybe $10, a paddle and some quarters, you can walk away with some really nice items. It’s going to be very nice.”

The UIA is hoping to sell between 150 and 175 tickets for the event, which would help generate the money necessary to purchase the lighted garland for Library Park. However, even if that number is met, it may not be enough to decorate the entirety of the park, Marchetti said.

“The LED lighted garland is more expensive. It may take us more than one year to get enough garland, and we are aware of that,” she said. “But it lasts longer and is better for the environment.”

The idea to raise money for lighted holiday garland began in February, when the UIA procured 18 LED snowflakes that were displayed around uptown Edwardsburg, replacing older decorations.

The UIA initially only bought 12 snowflakes, but they were so well received by the community that they eventually acquired 18.

Because the decorations were liked by the community and “brought the community together,” according to Marchetti, the UIA decided to expand this holiday with LED garland, which will be prominitately displayed in Library Park.

“We needed to add a little something to Edwardsburg, which is what we are doing with the snowflakes and now the garland,” Marchetti said. “It will just put people in the Christmas spirit and help instill some pride in our community.”

While the purpose of the event is to raise money for decorations, the UIA would encourage anyone, regardless of how they feel about holiday decorations, to attend because they expect the event to be fun in its own right.

“It’s a good time,” Marchetti said. “It should be really fun.”

Those looking to purchase tickets should contact Meryl Christensen at (269) 663-2347. Tickets can also be purchased the day of the event at the Edwardsburg American Legion.