In days gone by, an evening at the cinema was the chance to dress up, go out and enjoy a night on the town. If you want a similar chance to indulge in glamor, food, fun and even high-stakes live and silent auctions with amazing items up for bid, check out the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Washington’s BIG Auction, “An Evening at the Cinema,” on October 2, 2026.
Autumn’s BIG Auction is the primary annual fundraiser for the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Washington. Consider purchasing event tickets by the table or even becoming an event sponsor to maximize your impact for kids across our region.
Big Brothers Big Sisters Big Youth Impact for more than 120 Years
For more than 120 years, the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization has matched kids with adult mentors. The friendships and advice shared between Bigs and Littles provides proven lifelong benefits for both parties.
Within the Southwest Washington chapter, Executive Director Keith Ann Campbell says they’re relying even more heavily on the BIG Auction this year, because they lost all state funding in 2025. Monies previously received from the state covered 25% of their budget and these cuts were sudden and very unexpected.
Thanks to a 25+ year partnership with North Thurston Public Schools and other community partners, raising money to continue their mission is especially important. The need for services continues to grow. Last year alone Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Washington’s attendance increased more than 40% over the previous year.
Even with that expansion, they’ve already exceeded those numbers in the first half of 2026. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Washington recently won a national Big Brothers Big Sisters award for the growth of their enrollment.
Our local groups have seen an across-the-board increase in all age groups and locations, says Campbell. Especially heartening is the spike in their high school aged career-based programming which partners with all local school districts through mandated CTE pathways.
High school participants are matched with someone in their preferred career path for monthly mentoring and guidance. One successful program in Grays Harbor County is forestry based. These relationships are very popular as those fields cover more than 10% of all local jobs. Adult business mentors are always also in demand. Giving of your time and experience can change a young life forever.
Bring Coworkers, Friends and Family to the BIG Auction to Benefit Local Kids
To support their mission during this booming enrollment period, get your tickets to the BIG auction today. You can buy tickets individually or in tables of eight but Director of Development Blake Knoblauch says that things sell out fast so don’t delay.
If you’d like to advertise your business, consider becoming one of the night’s sponsors. Sponsor names are included in the printed and distributed advertising materials they’ll be posting around town. Business sponsors are also recognized on the Big Brothers Bigs Sisters of Southwest Washington website, social media accounts, at the auction by the night’s emcee and in a slideshow presentation during the festivities.
There are multiple sponsor levels ranging from $2,500 to $10,000 and all come with a full list of bonuses for those in attendance. Table seating can be purchased at the VIP and VVIP levels as well.
Another way to support the nonprofit is to donate something for the live or silent auctions. Goods, services, activity packages, sports tickets and even travel have all topped the marquee to date with experiences typically being the most popular and raising the most money.
“This event has a very tangible impact,” says Knoblauch. “Every dollar raised expands mentoring opportunities and welcomes more kids into the programs.” If you can’t attend, consider making a direct donation to the program overall.
You’ll find teasers of auction items and event details on the Big Brothers Big Sisters Facebook, Instagram and X pages as well as in their newsletter. While on their website, sign up to become a volunteer, Become a Big yourself or enroll a child in neighborhood programming. Then get your seats, dust off your party clothes and put “An Evening at the Cinema” on your autumn calendar today.
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