PEORIA, Ill. -- Magnificent vacation packages, once-in-a-lifetime sporting event opportunities, sports memorabilia treasures and unique household items all will be available to the highest bidder during the fifth annual Bids for the Braves Dinner Auction Sept. 20 at the Par-A-Dice Hotel Ballroom.

Tickets still remain for Bids for the Braves, which quickly has grown into the Bradley Athletic Department's largest fund-raising event by annually generating more than $100,000 for Bradley Athletics.  Tickets are $60 and may be purchased through the Braves Club Office at Shea Stadium (309-677-2667).  Doors will open at 6 p.m. Sept. 20 and cocktails and hors d'oeuvres will be served throughout the night.  The live auction, which once again will be emceed by the Voice of Bradley Basketball, Dave Snell, will begin at 7:30.

A complete listing of items available can be found online by viewing the PDF version of the auction program accompanying this story.  Proxy bids for those unable to attend the event may be made in advance by contacting the Braves Club Office.

Among the items available during the live auction are a private plane trip for four to Chicago for the Dec. 22 Monday Night Football game between the Bears and Green Bay Packers, an opportunity to spend the day with veteran Major League pitcher Brian Shouse, unique opportunities to interact with the Bradley men's basketball staff and the chance to throw out the first pitch prior to a Chicago Cubs game at Wrigley Field.  Several vacation packages also are available in both the live and silent auctions, including the use of private condos and homes in Florida, the South Carolina coast, Las Vegas and Hawai'i.

The Sept. 20 Bids for the Braves Auction will kick off Bradley's annual schedule of Braves Club and Athletic Department functions.  Among the other activities slated for the 2008-09 athletic year:  the Braves Club Soccer Tailgate (Sept. 27), the Spaghetti Supper at the Itoo Hall (Oct. 14), the Bradley Basketball Chicago Tipoff Luncheon (Nov. 4), the Bradley Basketball Preseason Gala (Nov. 12) and five Bradley Basketball Gameday Luncheons.

The 2008-09 Bradley men's basketball team will be available to meet and greet during the second annual Braves Club Soccer Tailgate Sept. 27 at Shea Stadium prior to the 7 p.m. kickoff against Cal State Fullerton.  Braves Club members may attend the pregame tailgate for free by presenting their membership ID cards at the tent, while general public may enter the area for $5.

Both the men's and women's basketball teams will be introduced Oct. 14 during the annual Spaghetti Supper, which returns to the Itoo Hall on Farmington Road while construction of the new athletics performance arena continues on campus.

After a year off, the Bradley Basketball Chicago Tipoff Luncheon returns to the annual slate of Braves Club activities in 2008.  Head coaches Jim Les and Paula Buscher will be the featured speakers during the lunch program, which will be held Nov. 4 at Harry Caray's Restaurant in downtown Chicago.

A featured event among the annual Braves Club activities is the Bradley Basketball Preseason Gala, which will be held Nov. 12 at the Embassy Suites Ballroom in East Peoria.  The formal dinner event once again will feature the introduction of the 2008-09 Bradley men's and women's basketball teams, as well as entertaining videos produced by legendary play-by-play man Dave Snell.

The first of the five annual Bradley men's and women's basketball Gameday Luncheons will be held Dec. 10 in advance of that night's game versus Butler.  Bradley head coach Jim Les and Butler head coach Brad Stevens will be the featured speakers during the first luncheon.  The dates of the other four luncheons are still being negotiated.

For event pricing and to make reservations, contact the Braves Club Office (309-677-2667) at Shea Stadium (1523 W. Nebraska Ave.).