Letitia Frye
What do you do: I am known as America’s foremost Auctiontainer, a name given to me by my longtime client and friend, Alice Cooper. I am a classically trained auctioneer and actress, who developed a new style of fundraising at charity galas, combing entertainment, theater and traditional auctioneering, now known as auctiontaining. I work on stages all across the country raising money for nonprofits. In addition to raising funds the night of the event, I volunteer or trail for each of my clients in order to immerse myself into the mission and the people they serve. All of this translates into a unique performance engaging audiences to give in record amounts.
Share with us how you give back: Outside of a typical way to give through volunteering, I am a serial mentor! I have mentored over 50 women, and a few men, into new careers and life goals. It is something I do free of charge, simply to be of service. A mentor of mine, Foster Friess, taught me early on that God has charged each of us something to give away on his behalf. For my mentor, that was money, as he had been blessed with enormous financial success. For me, that was talent, as I have been equally blessed with that. I have undoubtedly received far more from my mentees than anything I ever given each of them.
Share with us why you give back: I have always had a heart for philanthropy, but once I made volunteering a part of my business model, my entire life changed. At times in my life, I have faced unspeakable adversity and definitely hit some extreme lows, yet I still had to get up and provide for my family. Since volunteering was a part of my business model, it meant I had to do it despite how I felt inside. That is when the magic occurred. Each time I showed up to be of service to another, my own problems and perception of my life seemed so trivial in light of what I saw in theirs. Giving back brought about a sense of purpose, shifted my own perception, and brought a tremendous sense of peace and joy. I decided to simply make it a way of life, and I have done so for close to 18 years now.
Tell us about one nonprofit you support and why: St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. St. Jude has been my client for close to 13 years now. I do over 20 of their events per year and have spent countless hours with the staff, volunteers and families of St. Jude. They are hands-down one of, if not the best, charities in the world. No family is ever asked to pay for travel, treatment, housing or food while their children receive cutting-edge treatment for the most medically complex cases of pediatric cancer and other life-threatening diseases. They are simply amazing!