Charity Fundraiser
Each year Brickworld attendees rally together to participate in what has become an exciting and unforgettable event. The Esther Walner Memorial Charity Fundraiser features unique items donated by individuals, groups and companies to help raise money for charity. Proceeds benefit several deserving charitable organizations, including Creations for Charity, Riley Children’s Hospital, FIRST LEGO League, and the Make a Wish Foundation. Approximately 90% of the raised monies will go to these charities. Brickworld supports other opportunities to help kids with the remaining monies. 100% of the money is donated each year.
We are very grateful to the attendees for raising over $200,000 since Brickworld began, including $24,000 in 2019.
Public Donations
If you purchase your event ticket via the Brickworld web site (through our ticketing partner – Thundertix), there is a donation slot. If you can find a way to donate even $1, it will help us raise even more money to support these wonderful causes. We will also accept donations at the event in June. Or, anyone, at anytime can donate to the fundraiser via this link.
Convention Attendees
I Want to Donate
Giving back to the community is essential for the growth and enjoyment of the hobby, which is why donating to and attending the charity auction can be a refreshing way to interact with fellow enthusiasts. Donations can be almost anything related to The Brick and may include vintage or rare sets, memorabilia, promotional items, custom minifigs, MOCs, and accessories. Donations can be mailed ahead of time or brought to the event and delivered to the registration desk by Thursday at 6 PM. Please fill out information about your item(s) online and include a copy of the email confirmation attached/in a bag with each item to help us keep everything organized. You can fill out the item donation form here or via the link on your My Page
I Want to Bid
Your Brickworld badge has your auction bidding number on the back. So, you are all set when you get your badge. Bid high and often! When you win an item we will record the amount of the winning bid and your number. Please see us after the auction for payment. Cash and credit are accepted. Below are some of the items already scheduled for the auction block:
About
Esther Walner was the original Brickworld New Attendee Coordinator. We still use much of the material she pulled together at the information desk each year at the convention. Sadly, Esther passed away in 2009 after only a short time with us at Brickworld. Esther was never able to attend the charity auction on Saturday night due to religious commitments. So, she always looked at what was available ahead of time and enlisted the help of proxy bidders to try and win something. In 2008, she enlisted the help of two different people to bid for the same item (just in case one of them forgot). But, she failed to notify the proxy bidders of her plan. The two bidders ended up running the price of the item up (a lot of pink brick – Esther’s favorite color) before they realized they were both bidding for Esther. It was this memory that drove us to name the auction in her honor. In 2009 the yearly charity auction was officially named after Esther to honor her commitment to the LEGO community. It seems fitting to name the auction for Esther as it is all about giving back to children and the LEGO enthusiast community. We also do our best to continue Esther’s drive to increase female involvement in the community and make sure that newbies to Brickworld are treated with the same warm welcome that Esther provided. Please join us in remembering Esther at the auction this year. We also began auctioning a pink scooter each year in Esther’s honor with the scooter being donated back to the auction by the winner. The scooter has since been placed on a plaque that bears the names of each annual winner. The scooter has accumulated over $2,000 in the years it has been auctioned thanks to the generosity of everyone involved.