Members of a Rapid City women's chorus will host live and silent auctions this weekend to help offset travel expenses to Washington, D.C., for a trip that will include performing for military veterans.

The A Cappella Showcase chorus, which includes the Sweet Adelines and contest quartet Cayenne, was selected to represent South Dakota at the Festival of States by Music Celebrations International on June 26. It also will perform at the Tomb of the Unknowns, a military club and a veterans' retirement home.

The silent auction begins at 10 a.m. Saturday, in the old Waldenbooks location at Rushmore Mall.

Silent auction items include gift certificates for oil changes, car washes, dinners, hotel stays, private baseball lessons, beauty salons, massages, fly-fishing, a girls' night out package, a kids fun package and Watiki Waterpark tickets.

Auctioneer Denny McKay will begin the live auction at 1 p.m. Items include pianos, organs, a 52-inch big screen TV, solid oak drafting table, exercise bike, oak computer desk, an $800 graphite fly rod from Dakota Angler and the works of regional artists James Van Nuys, Jon Crane and Brett Prang Metalworks.

"Cayenne will be performing in the mall beginning at 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., so people will have the opportunity to hear what we're all about," Jo Prang, A Cappella auction co-chairwoman, said.

Prang said proceeds from the auctions and concession would help defray travel costs for the 38-member chorus, which has only two months to raise its goal of $40,000.

For more details, go online to www.acshowcase.org.

Contact Jomay Steen at 394-8418 or jomay.steen@rapidcityjournal.com.