Q. When is the auction and how long is it?
A. The auction is 16 excitement-packed hours on Sunday, February 28th, 2010, from 8:06 am until Midnight.

Q. How do I bid on an auction item?
A. Check out the items for bid on our website or in the Sunday, February 28th edition of The Baltimore Sun. Both sources will have the time each item will be up for bid. If the item is followed by a I, II, or III, it will appear in the first, second, or third segment of the hour, respectively. If the time does not have a segment number, the item will be up for bid during the entire hour-long period. Listen to WBAL AM 1090 on auction day for the item to be announced. Call the local or toll-free number to bid, and keep listening to WBAL for the status of the bidding on any current item. You may call back during the period the item is up for auction to increase your bid. Be prepared to tell the volunteer operator the number of the item on which you are bidding, the amount of your bid, your name, and the telephone number where you can be reached if you are the hightest bidder. A few items will also be available for bidding on-line; details to follow later.

Q. How do I bid on the online auction items?
Find the items in the Online Auction category. Once they are on sale, they will link directly to the item as listed on Ebay. You can also see all see all of our online auction items, once they are on sale, by going to centerstage.org/ebay.

Q. Will the payment for my item be tax-deductible?
A. Any amount over the estimated retail value of the item is considered tax-deductible.

Q. If I am the high bidder, how will I get my item?
A. If the item is a gift certificate, we will mail it to you upon receipt of payment. Otherwise, we will mail you a receipt that identifies you as the high bidder, and gives you contact information to arrange pick up. Please call in advance so your item can be ready, and be sure to have the receipt with you. As a courtesy to our donors, we ask that you make arrangements to pick up your item as soon as possible. Neither CENTERSTAGE nor the donor assumes responsibility for items not claimed within 30 days.

Q. Can I return my item if I am not satisfied?
A. All auction items are sold AS IS. CENTERSTAGE, WBAL Radio, and The Baltimore Sun are not liable for any warranty or representation not expressly set forth in the item description. Descriptions are provided by the item donors. Some restrictions or exclusions may apply. All sales are final. No returns or exchanges.

Q. Do I pay sales tax on my items?
A. 6% Maryland sales tax is applied to taxable items.

Q. How do I pay for my item?
A. If you are the confirmed high bidder, someone from CENTERSTAGE will call you the day of to arrange payment. Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express are accepted.