With membership numbers exploding, the Coupeville Boys and Girls Club is looking for a way to serve the extra number of children.

To accomplish that, the Boys and Girls Club will hold its annual auction next weekend. The auction, titled a “Time to Grow,” will provide people with a chance to bid on a variety of activities ranging from farm tours to crabbing.

Organizer MaryLu McFadyen said that rather than having folks bid on items, it was decided to have them bid on activities. That way they can share their time and expertise with someone else.

The March 15 auction is only the second one the Coupeville club has ever done. The first one last year raised approximately $17,000. The organization is limited in when it can hold fundraisers. As a member of the United Way, it won’t hold such events that coincide with the larger organization’s campaign.

The Coupeville Boys and Girls Club has only been open for two years. Starting with a membership of 80 children, the club’s ranks have swelled to 220 or so. The club currently operates out of the old Coupeville fire station — a space it shares with the Gifts from the Heart food bank.

In addition to an after school program, the club also has a computer program and recently started sponsoring after school basketball games. There are plans for a spring break camp and the club’s summer day camp have been well-attended in recent years.

On a recent visit to the club, children were busy painting panels that will be used to decorate the walls during the auction while other children were shooting pool, working on computers or simply hanging out.

The experience auction takes place Saturday, March 15, beginning at 5:30 p.m. at Crockett Barn.

The event features a dinner catered by Serendipity Catering, wine provided by Prairie Center Red Apple Market. Tickets cost $50 and are available at Lind’s Pharmacy, Bayleaf, Windermere Real Estate and the Coupeville Boys and Girls Club. Call 678-5640.