DAPHEALTH THE ANNUAL SILENT AUCTION AT THE CHASE IS ALWAYS WIN-WIN-WIN BY DANIEL VAILLANCOURT
Those who donate auction items get invaluable exposure, winning bidders get great deals, and DAP Health gets additional funds to fuel its mission. I’m addicted to silent auctions. Over the last 25 years, I’ve attended dozens of glamorous benefit soirées in New York City, Los Angeles, and Palm Springs, where I’ve placed winning bids on my fair share of amazing items — from a 15-night Hawaiian cruise and high-end designer duds to original works by celebrity artist Rosie O’Donnell and the late French painter Jean Dewasne — all for little more than a song. What’s not to love about silent auctions? They’re win-win-win. Those who gift items can do charitable work while receiving massive exposure, lucky victors score treasures at a fraction of their worth (while enjoying the added perk of engaging in a little good-natured competition), and the hosting nonprofit adds dollar signs to its bottom line. With such categories as art, travel, food and drink, theatrical and musical experiences, fashion and jewelry, and furniture and home décor represented, there’s enough to whet every appetite. One of the best silent auctions in the desert is arguably the one that precedes the official program at DAP Health’s annual fundraising gala The Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards, where attendees can browse and bid during the cocktail hour, then pick up their winnings at the end of the night. For the last three years, The Chase’s silent auction has been cochaired by Palm Springs resident and DAP Health volunteer Grant Elder, who for 2026 shares the honors with 2025 Chase honoree and fellow volunteer Lynn Hammond. Their work begins as early as the previous summer to get everything ready for the February affair. They solicit new and returning donors; collect, catalog, and photograph each gift; and set opening bids according to actual value.
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“It’s a profound honor to co-chair The Chase auction, a cornerstone of our community’s generosity,” says Hammond. “While we spend months cataloging these incredible items, the true leadership belongs to the donors and local businesses who step up year after year. For me, the ‘win-win-win’ isn’t just about the auction floor — it’s about the humbling realization that every bid placed directly translates into health care, housing, and hope for the thousands of neighbors DAP Health serves.” “People love DAP Health, they love The Chase, and they love to participate,” adds Elder, who also serves as co-chair (with Read Brown) of DAP Health’s major donor program Partners for Life, of which he is a member. “Pricing items is such an important component in the success of silent auctions. The goal is to get as many bidders interested in each item, so pricing things too high can either result in just one bid — or in the item not selling at all. There’s a bit of a science to it.” This year, every one of the more than 200 items on the auction block will be revealed online on February 13, with the majority having a “buy it now” option for anyone who needs to take something they just must have off the table. On February 19, online bidding will close, unsold items will be brought to the Palm Springs Convention Center to be elegantly displayed in the lobby (with their highest bid as of the close of the online auction placed at the top of their bid sheet), and — once attendees arrive at the event on February 21 — the frenzy will resume until the silent auction closes midway through the evening, when winners will be revealed. “My philosophy is to try to get the most unique donation and finding the right audience for it,” continues Elder, adding that while it’s always exciting to land items from new donors, he has a special fondness for those who choose to contribute each year. Some of the returning benefactors for 2026 include restaurateur Willie Rhine of both Willie’s Modern Fare in Rancho Mirage and Eight4Nine