Meet and Treat Single Auction in Anderson - Anderson Independent-Mail

What: Meet and Treat singles auction

When: 6 p.m. Saturday

Where: Electric City Grill, Publix Shopping Center, SC 81 North, Anderson

Tickets: $15 advance, $20 at the door

Information: 864.356.1826 or 864.356.6595

Website: www.planitupstate.com

Had it with the bar singles scene? Feel like online dating sites are like talking to a computer, not a person? Wondering where all the good guys and gals are? If youre thinking all that and looking for a fun, different and adrenaline-filled way to meet someone new, there is something you can do about it. And, your attempt to meet someone will also go to help some worthy causes.

Its the Plan It Upstates first ever Singles Auction, and it features some of the most eligible bachelors and bachelorettes putting themselves out there to help children in the community. This Saturday, Plan It Upstate and the Electric City Grill present Meet and Treat, and everyone is welcome.

We were sitting around trying to come up with something that was cool, said Samantha Harris, one of the organizers of the event. A few of us had done singles auctions in college and figured that was something that would be fun and that hasnt been done before.

Of course, the idea of a singles auction and pulling one off are two very different things. Harris and fellow organizer Chery Addison had to pound the pavement to find the most outgoing and self-confident singles willing to put themselves on the stage to be bid on.

That, said Harris, was a tricky thing. After all, finding the right people to auction is one thing. Getting them to do it is something else all together.

We have a great group of people, she said. We were pleasantly surprised with the reaction. Sure, we put a guilt trip on a few of them, but really everyone was happy to do it.

Those names include Rich Klindworth from WSPA News Channel 7, Jade Hindmon, anchor on Fox Carolina News, Wes Billingsly, a local accountant, LaCrystal Holloway, an area real estate agent, and Blake Hughes, a filmmaker who spends most of his time in Hollywood.

In all, they have commitments from more than a dozen single men and women willing to be auctioned off for a date. And of those committed people, Harris said the diversity is great. Oftentimes, events like these can get split up into men and women and black and white participants, but they have a great mix of gender and race to ensure that people go on the date with the person they are most compatible with.

We always knew it wasnt going to be auctioning off just men or just women, Harris said. We wanted it to be as diverse as possible and get some of the best people we knew.

Of course, they had to be single, too. Harris said everyone on the auction block is 100 percent single and they expect those who come in to bid on the date will also be single.

The event begins at 6 p.m. Saturday at the Electric City Grill in Anderson. The evening will start with mingling that includes all the potential bachelors and bachelorettes. After a brief meet-and-greet, the emcees for the night, Heather Statham and Larry Linnette, will read off the bios of all the participants, let them strut their stuff on the stage and the highest bidder on each person will win a date with them.

Harris said they want this event to have a party vibe to it. The Electric City Grill, she said, is the perfect place because its laid back and its conducive to mingling and getting to know people. And to keep it going after the auction, they hope everyone will stick around for some dancing and good times.

Dinner will be served as part of the ticket price and provided by the Electric City Grill. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door. All bidders will be asked to register at the beginning of the event and will be given a paddle to bid with. The rest is self-explanatory.

So far, the buzz (for the auction) is awesome, Harris said. We have several tickets sold and know that many will come buy at the door the night of the event. No matter how they get their tickets, we are just glad they come.

By attending, all money raised for the event will go to charities You Are Not Alone, which mentors children for college readiness, and Up and Out, a charity that helps children who cant afford extracurricular activities to participate in the sport or class of their choice.

There will also be door prizes awarded throughout the night, including gift cards from local businesses and restaurants, wine packages and much more.

Tickets are available at Rainbow Records on North Main Street in Anderson, at the Belton Center for the Arts in Belton and by calling 864.356.1826 or 864.356.6595.