cMarket/BiddingForGood to Launch Celebrity Item Packed National Online Auction in Conjunction With the 44th Annual Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon

Cambridge, Ma, August 17, 2009 — cMarket/BiddingForGood, the leading online auction platform solely for organizations engaged in fundraising for nonprofit causes, will soon launch their new national online auction in conjunction with the 44th Annual Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon. The auction, powered by cMarket, features an array of celebrity packed items and more, with all proceeds benefiting the Muscular Dystrophy Association. The auction will run from Sept. 1-15th and surrounds the Telethon to be broadcasted live from Las Vegas, on Sunday, Sept. 6th and Sept. 7th.

This year’s online auction will include hundreds of items in an array of categories including celebrity memorabilia, travel excursions, electronics, gift cards and much more. Some celebrity items include tours and lunches with stars of Days of Our Lives and General Hospital, legendary ventriloquist Terry Fator VIP tickets with a meet and greet in Las Vegas, Access Hollywood backstage tour, and Country Singer Neal McCoy concert tickets and meet and greet.

In 2008, BiddingForGood raised an extra $580,000 for the MDA, bringing the total pledges and donations to the Telethon to a record-breaking $65 million. This was the first national auction for the Association. Included among the over 3,800 items donated and placed up for bid by celebrity Telethon performers and friends of the Association were tickets to a Broadway performance of “Grease” that included dinner with Ace Young who stared as Kenicki in the musical, a Grand Ole Opry VIP trip with country music star Tracy Lawrence, and a VIP Package to the 2009 Jerry Lewis Telethon. Other large scale items in the auction were in conjunction with Harley-Davidson’s 105th anniversary and included a custom Fender guitar, which fetched the highest bid at over $35,000. Overall, nearly 20,000 bids were placed.

“We are pleased that last year’s auction proved to be such a success and are looking forward to yet another successful year” says Jon Carson, CEO of cMarket/BiddingForGood. Carson adds “The MDA auction is truly a prime example of how running an online auction in conjunction with a live fundraising event, can boost the amount of funds raised dramatically.” “We hope the MDA’s online auction will help make for another record breaking year.”

To check out check out the online auction to support this telethon, please visit http://www.cmarket.com/auction/AuctionHome.action?auctionId=82215015. The Telethon will highlight MDA’s cutting-edge scientific research seeking cures and treatments for the more than 40 neuromuscular diseases in MDA's program. Also in the spotlight will be the Association’s healthcare programs, which provide support groups, accessible summer camps, help with obtaining and repairing expensive medical equipment, and more than 200 clinics around the country.

About MDA
MDA is the nonprofit health agency dedicated to curing muscular dystrophy, ALS and related diseases by funding worldwide research. The Association also provides comprehensive health care and support services, advocacy and education.