In O’Fallon, Illinois, there’s going to be an auction for the Edward A. Fulton Junior High to raise money for the eighth graders to travel to Washington, D.C.

Whoopee, you say. Why do I care?

Well, maybe you don’t, but Mary Kay Inc. might.

The chairwoman of the auction, Kathy Sheppard, is a Mary Kay consultant. And she’s donated about $160.00 worth of products in order to participate.

This is a quarter auction, which means everyone who bids on an item throws a quarter or two in a pot. Here’s an attempt to explain it, from the article that appeared on the Belleville News Daily website ( http://www.bnd.com/news/spiers/story/574607.html ) :

“It’s actually more of a lottery. Your quarter goes in a pot, along with other quarters from other people interested in the same item.

Then an auctioneer picks a number from all the numbers people were assigned for the auction and that number wins — if the person holding the number decided to participate by throwing in his or her quarter.

If not, then another number is chosen.

Clear? Or clear as mud? “

I vote mud.

It seems Ms. Sheppard rounded up every MLM person in the area, from the list of participants:

“The Fulton auction will have more than 60 products with a total value of more than $1,500 from local businesses and from vendors such as Mary Kay, The Pampered Chef, Longaberger Baskets, Dangles Handmade Jewelry, Tastefully Simple, Tupperware, Party Lite, Stampin’ Up and Southern Living at Home. “

So…is Mary Kay Inc. is okay with this auction?  Is it okay because it isn’t on eBay? Or is it okay because the consultant donated the products to a worthy cause?

Does tossing a few quarters in a pot in front of a display of Mary Kay products at an auction enhance the Mary Kay brand?!

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