Contestants have their auction baskets sold, bringing in close to $4000 dollars

The auction basket was probably THE most stressful part of the preparation for this contest (for me.) Sounds silly, huh? I think I was moreso concerned to have a good representation of what I stand for, what my platform was about, and where I'm from -- both location and leather-wise. I think I did succeed. So many of my friends and local businesses pitched in to make this basket the bounty that it was. Dusty donated a Best Of Philly Magazine and Tee. Cowboi Jen donated one of her championship ASGRA trophy buckles. Jo Ann, Ms Philly Leather 2000 donated a Rainbow 25 flag (modeled during the auction by the handsome American Leatherman Robert Napolitano.) Even my mom donated a bottle of local Buckingham Valley Vineyards wine! The most personal thing that I could part with myself was the centerpiece of the "box" -- a black collapsible dog crate. This was the very same crate that I'd raised my pup Mosz in, and since he'd been donated to US Customs as a drug dog, I no longer had use for it. It'd been sitting in my house, disinfected and ready for a new use. So much love and passion and spirit went into that auction basket, and I do hope the winner continues to enjoy it's bounty.