Rare Chair Affair - Bid Farewell to Breast Cancer

About the Rare Chair Affair

The Rare Chair Affair features the most unique and moving voice auction of any event in the area. Each year, we invite 15 to 20 breast cancer survivors to participate in workshops throughout the summer to paint and decorate chairs for this event's live auction. The voice auction is the highlight of the evening and is truly a celebration of the joy and spirit of survivorship! It reminds us why WBCC and its dedicated volunteers do the work we do.

Our commitment to the attendees of this annual event has always been that the cost of their tickets and any money they spend the night of the auction will go DIRECTLY to the efforts of WBCC – not to pay for event expenses. We have consistently been able to keep that promise due to the generous financial support of underwriters.

Rare Chair Affair History

In 1999, a new fundraising idea was brought to the Wisconsin Breast Cancer Coalition by Victoria Vonier of the Private Gardener, a gardening store in Milwaukee. Her idea was to hold a "chair"ity event using decorative chairs.

Members of WBCC then set forth to bring this one-of-a-kind "chair"ity event to reality. With the help of a Milwaukee advertising agency, the event was named The Rare Chair Affair and the event's tag line – Bid Farewell to Breast Cancer was coined. A logo was designed with a flowing pink ribbon in the form of a chair. Asking breast cancer survivors and local artists to paint and decorate chairs for a voice auction completed the idea. Local artist, Kyle Zubatsky, has also volunteered her talents in assisting and inspiring the survivor artists to create their masterpiece chairs for the voice auction.

The first Rare Chair Affair was held in September 2000 and was hosted by Victoria Vonier at the Private Gardner in Milwaukee's Historic Third Ward and expanded into the adjacent warehouse and firehouse. The event not only included the live auction of the beautiful chairs, thanks to the generous donations of several Southeastern Wisconsin merchants, a silent auction, great food, and live entertainment completed the enjoyment of all who attended. The event was so well attended in fact, that a few hundred people had to be turned away! The first year's event raised $30,000.

The second Rare Chair Affair was held in 2001 at the Renaissance Place on Milwaukee's east side. The success of the first year as it brought in over $60,000 in donations.

With the number of attendees now exceeding 500, the third Rare Chair Affair saw the event moved to the Pfister Hotel in downtown Milwaukee, where it has been held every year since. The Rare Chair Affair has consistently raised in excess of $75,000.

It is important note that from the first Rare Chair Affair, WBCC has been able to have all expenses covered by underwriting or in-kind donations prior to the event. This ensures that every dollar received from ticket sales, auction purchases, and additional donations will go directly to WBCC and it's programs.

Although the Rare Chair Affair has always been a fun and exciting event we keep in mind our main focus; the mission of the Wisconsin Breast Cancer Coalition, which is to bring Wisconsin, voices together to STAND UP AND SPEAK OUT about breast cancer with education, collaboration, and legislation.

See photos and read biographies of our Survivor Artists.