Yellowknife (Nov 22/06) - A rambunctious pipe and drum band, a blind man making fun of himself in front of a room of elegantly dressed people and a seemingly endless supply of cash marked the return of Yellowknife's annual celebrity auction Friday.

A bidder holds up his number card while bidding for an item at the Celebrity Auction at the Explorer Hotel on Friday. - Peter Crnogorac/NNSL photo

The auction is a mainstay in the city, and as usual the Katimavik room at the Explorer Hotel was filled to capacity.

All proceeds from the event go to the NWT Council of Persons with Disabilities.

The council, using funds from the community, serves Yellowknifers with disabilities through such programs as accessible transit, early childhood intervention and employment support.

No dollar amount on money raised was available at press time. Silent auction displays of art, clothing, tools and just about anything else that money can buy lined the walls.

At 8 p.m., immediately following the performance of the NWT Pipe Band, the main auction began.

With the last drum beat still resonating through the room, main auctioneer Gerry LePrieur asked the audience, "So who wants to have these guys play at their wedding?"

When the bidding ceased, the band had sold for $180. This moment captured the theme of the night: anything and everything has a price.

"We gleefully accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, cash and cheques," LePrieur told the audience.

Periodically, between items up for bids, special guest comedian Gord Paynter - who lost his sight in his early 20s due to complications with diabetes - kept the audience laughing.

"I'm from Brantford, Ont., where Gretzky comes from," he said.

"People always remember the million or so goals he scored while playing there as a kid, but what they forget is I was the goalie."

Some of the other entertaining moments in the night came through watching people try to outbid one another.

Sue Glowach was determined to win the bid on a one-night Elks' Hall rental.

She emerged as the high bidder after a heated bidding war with a man in the back of the hall.

"I want to hold a heck of a party," she said. "Priscilla's Revenge will be playing and everyone's invited, so watch out for the date."

Other items that were auctioned off included a cruise for four aboard the sailing boat Yola 11 during the Ability Cup race, a Panasonic Viera HD 50-inch plasma TV and a 300 Freestyle Ski-Doo.

By 11 p.m., the items were all sold and the celebrity auction was going... going... gone for one more year.