The Augusta-Aiken Audubon Society's ninth annual auction will begin at 6 p.m. Friday at the North Augusta Community Center.

"This is our annual auction for education outreach," said Paul Koehler, the auction chairman.

The event will feature silent and live auctions. Items to be auctioned include golf packages, bird feeders, framed prints, tickets to area theater performances, a wagon ride through the Silver Bluff Audubon Center and gift certificates to area restaurants.

Admission to the event is free.

"We hope people will be generous with their bidding," Mr. Koehler said.

Hors d'oeuvres and beverages will be available.

The auction has brought in about $20,000 in its history.

"Every penny goes back into the community in the form of grants to schools," he said.

Augusta and Aiken-area schools have used grants for a variety of projects, such as creating wildlife habitats, adding bird boxes to school grounds, rehabilitating wetlands and purchasing binoculars for bird-watching.

Grants should be distributed this month.

For more information, call Mr. Koehler at (803) 471-0291.

Reach Charmain Brackett at charmain.brackett@augustachronicle.com.