Operation St. Nick’s 43rd annual radio auction airs from 8 a.m. to noon Sunday, Dec. 7 on 103.1 WCSJ, and this year’s auction has even more to celebrate than usual.

Operation St. Nick is expected to cross the $3 million threshold in total funds raised.

It already broke records last year, raising $236,000 through the auction alone. This went to find the Operation St. Nick programs, the one it runs helping families around Christmas and the Military Program it runs in the summer.

Founder Joe Schmitz said Operation St. Nick will help 60 families and over 150 children facing hardships receive gifts from their own wishlist this year.

Families will also receive $300 in food to carry them through the holiday season, along with $1,000 to be paid on their winter heating bills.

“The 2025 auction brochure, featuring 90 items, is available now at Grundy Bank, where many of the items are displayed,” Schmitz said. “Community members are encouraged to pick up a brochure and participate by bidding on one of the 15 items, purchasing any of the other 75 items directly, or making a donation of any amount.

Guy Christensen said a special Memorial Hour will take place from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., where the names of loved ones will be read on the air as part of memorial donations, a long-standing tradition that honors those who have passed while supporting families in need.

Items available to bid on

As always, there are many auction items available, starting with the hourly items beginning at 8 a.m.

The 8 a.m. hourly item is a Morris Country Club corporate membership for two associates, which would come with a $75 food and beverage monthly payment to spend, and a preferred rate of $39 for 18 holes or $25 for nine holes of golf, with a golf cart included.

The 9 a.m. auction item is a Southwest travel package for two from Red Carpet Travel. The auction winner will get two tickets to anywhere up to $500 per person.

The 10 a.m. auction item is for four Notre Dame tickets included with parking and a $100 gift card for a choice of one of four games during the 2026 football season.

The 11 a.m. auction item is four tickets for University of Illinois vs. University of Michigan at Assembly Hall in Champaign on Friday, Feb. 27. It also includes a parking pass.

Other auction items include a Taylor Swift inspired 3.10 carat diamond ring, a 1960s three-sided wooden phone booth that used to be outside what is now Clayton’s Rail, further down where Taylor’s Tap used to be.

Also available are a Ryne Sandburg autographed Cubs jersey, tickets for the Bears and Packers in Green Bay on Saturday, Dec. 20, a 1984-85 Chicago Bulls signed team basketball that includes Michael Jordan’s signature from his rookie year, and much, much more.

To see the full brochure, visit https://www.grundy.bank/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/OSN-2025-Auction-Brochure.pdf.