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Sports-Themed Auction May Help Door of Hope Hit Its Goal on Feb. 20

A round of golf with NBA legend Jerry West and a private tennis lesson with seven-time Wimbledon champion Pete Sampras represent just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to a list of notable sports items offered in Door of Hope’s upcoming online auction.
Beginning early next month and culminating at the Pasadena nonprofit’s 30th anniversary gala on Feb. 20, the two-week auction — proceeds of which will feed into Door of Hope’s general operating budget as it seeks to curb homelessness in the community — will have sports fans salivating at the various experiences and memorabilia listed on the docket. There are also several non-sports items available, such as travel packages, fine dining, a behind-the-scenes tour at NBC’s “The Voice” and an opportunity to drive a Maserati for the weekend.
“We don’t have this type of event every year. … Being our 30th year, we are kind of blowing this one out of the water,” said Door of Hope Development Associate Nicole Peters. “Hopefully it’s going to be exciting enough to draw a crowd and get some excitement.”
How do two courtside tickets to a Laker game followed by a meet-and-greet with the players sound for excitement? What about a personal game of H-O-R-S-E against NBA Hall-of-Famer James Worthy, or two Dugout Club VIP tickets to a Dodger game next season? Well, those experiences are just half the fun when it comes to the sports offerings. There is also a wide range of memorabilia to be had, including jerseys autographed by the Kings’ Dustin Brown and Angels’ Mike Trout. The latter, a 24-year-old outfielder, was the league’s Most Valuable Player in 2014 and is still improving.
Speaking of getting better, the sports list goes on to feature two tickets to any University of Notre Dame home football game next fall — field passes included — or the annual Notre Dame/USC contest, along with helmets signed by Fighting Irish head coach Brian Kelly and a few of his players.
“I definitely think that these items will be a huge draw for not only [gala] attendees, but even those that bid online — which is likely because of the high caliber of items represented,” said Door of Hope Executive Director Tim Peters. “The auction items would appeal to people beyond even our region and potentially out of state. Hopefully we generate a wide range of interest.”
While sports fans might be hard-pressed to find anything more interesting than shooting hoops with fun-loving Lakers guard Nick Young or attending a team practice and then lunching with head coach Byron Scott afterward — yes, those experiences are available as well — Door of Hope’s auction is sure to appeal to people with other fascinations, too.
Those looking for a weekend getaway will receive the opportunity to bid on vacation packages that range from tropical hotel stays in Hawaii and Costa Rica to rustic cabin adventures in Mammoth. A single night at Pasadena’s Langham Huntington is also up for grabs.
Bidders who would rather stay relatively local to enjoy good food and drinks are also in luck. Door of Hope has secured dinners at some of the Southland’s premier restaurants, including Spago in Beverly Hills and Arroyo Chop House in Pasadena. Additionally, Silver Lake Wines has offered a tasting for two while Santa Clarita’s Agua Dulce Winery is ready to provide a guided barrel tour for six.
And what would a Southern California-based auction be without the Hollywood connection?
Besides two tickets to a live April taping of “The Voice” and an accompanying behind-the-scenes tour, other featured prizes are tickets and backstage passes to “Jimmy Kimmel Live” as well as a 20-minute Skype session with cast members of “Survivor: Worlds Apart” — a television show which, like Door of Hope, is also celebrating its 30th year.
“You’ll see with some of these items, they’re just not things that you would typically have access to,” said Nicole Peters. “I think that’s kind of what makes this an exciting thing. We’re hoping that it will put Door of Hope on the map outside of Pasadena. We’re hoping to get interest from the Westside and all over the city.
“We’re serving primarily the Pasadena area. However, we have families here from all over. We’re like a little jewel that hasn’t quite been found out by the rest of the community. The great thing about the online auction is you don’t have to be at the event to participate. … We’re just hoping that it shines some light on all the good work of Door of Hope.”
The majority of the auction items are available for perusal online at doorofhopegala.afrogs.org. Bidding is scheduled to go live during the second week of February. For event information, call Nicole Peters at (626) 304-9130, ext. 114.

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