Setting the tone, so to speak, was piano music and flowers, café tables skirted in pastel colors, soft lighting. The wait staff plied guests with delicious hors d’œuvres and ample drinks. One rather hip “twenty-something” chap was overheard whispering into his cell phone, “Hey, why don’t you come over [to Christie’s]. The people here are decent.” My daughter, who generally stays clear of charity evenings zeroed in on the silent auction offerings and wrote a number of bids. Her parting words were, “Please don’t forget to invite me next year.”

Considerable credit for the financial success of the Heart & Soul Auction is due to the remarkably gifted Stephen Lash, who volunteers as auctioneer every year. With élan and skill, he charms the audience to bid generously. Mr. Lash happens to be Chairman of Christie’s Americas, (North and South) and it is he who arranged to have the auction the last two years at his Rockefeller Plaza auction rooms. “I am delighted to announce that next year’s auction will be at Christie’s in February 2006,” said Alan Jones,, co-chair of this year’s auction. “This makes a great difference to the outcome,” Jones’ co-chair, Al Jackson added.

Before the official lot numbers were offered, Stephen Lash warmed-up his audience by presenting a martini for bids. Many people put up their hands but when the bids went over $500, only Jones and Jackson continued; but Jones took the prize for $800. He then handed the martini to Jackson.

After the evening ended, Al Jackson observed, “Many of the subscribers to the Auction Committee, who pay a premium for their tickets, were not members of All Souls. It was heartening to see that several outreach programs received more funding than was requested. It’s the ripple effect,” he said. “The reputation of our outreach programs goes far beyond All Souls.”