Charitable Gift Giving

Since 1966, every Labor Day has featured the Jerry Lewis Telethon for Muscular Dystrophy. This year, the telethon starts today and will run through Labor Day as usual.

But something brand new this year is the first-ever Telethon Auction. The auction has started already, and it will run until Thursday, September 4, 2008. You can visit it here:

http://mda.org/auctions/

I’ve never seen an auction with such a variety of great items up for grabs. Here’s just a very small sampling of auctions:

• Autographed photos of everyone from Martina McBride to Bruce Springsteen.
• Tickets to an Emmy Party sponsored by Entertainment Tonight
• A handkerchief owned by Joan Crawford
• A 2009 Harley-Davidson Rocker® motorcycle
• A Wii, an iPod, and other electronics
• A Days of Our Lives VIP Package, including a tour of the set and meeting the stars
• Autographed boxing glove of Muhammed Ali and other sports memorabilia from everyone from Wayne Gretzky to A-Rod to Kobe.
• Golf Packages in various exclusive resorts around the country
• Vacation packages to everywhere from Colorado to the Carribbean
• Too many more to list here

Because this is the first-ever auction, and because they’re all ending at the same time on September 4, chances are you’ll be able to find a great once-in-a-lifetime gift for someone special in your life. And because all of these auction items are donated, you may even be able to get it for much, much lower than the actual price (and in some cases, the items are priceless). And even if you pay a premium, remember that everything you pay over the fair market value is tax-deductible.

Whether you have donated or have always thought of donating for all the years you’ve watched the telethon, here’s a great new way to support this great cause.