The second celebrity Rags 4 Charity riches auction is off to a strong start

NASHVILLE, TN. (www.rags4riches.org) - The second Celebrity Rags 4 Charity Riches auction on eBay is underway and the bidding is going strong. Fans are zealously battling it out for wardrobe treasures that belong to many great entertainers including Alan Jackson, Martina McBride, Naomi Judd, Alison Krauss, Gretchen Wilson, and Joe Nichols among others.

Three time CMA female vocalist Martina McBride had over 30 bids in two days on her customized Dairy Queen shirt she wore for a recent InStyle magazine shoot. With four more days to go, the high bid stood at $405 with the proceeds benefiting the Big Brothers/Big Sisters Organization of Wichita, Kansas.

Superstar Alan Jackson's notorious denim and leather performance cowboy shirt was up to $250 to benefit Angel's House and hot newcomer Gretchen Wilson's performance blue jeans were going for $500 with only 4 days left to bid. Gretchen's charity is the United Cerebral Palsy of Middle Tennessee.

Like the first auction which was held in August, proceeds from these one-of-a-kind items are awarded to the artists' favorite charities. This first auction, pegged to USA Weekend's 13th Annual Make A Difference Day is running October 16-23 with proceeds benefiting various charities including St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Save The Children, United Cerebral Palsy, Big Brothers/Big Sisters and many others. The second auction begins October 23 and will solely benefit The Vanderbilt Kennedy Center for Research on Human Development.

'Celebrity Rags 4 Charity Riches is a win-win-win program for celebrities, fans and deserving charities,' says Cynda Johnson, president for the organization. 'The winning bidder receives a one-of-a-kind item with a signature of authenticity and the artist not only gets to help out a very worth while cause but also knows the garment is in the hands of someone who will really cherish it.'

Alison Krauss and Joe Nichols, veterans of the first auction, donated more items for the second. Alison donated her 2004 Oscar gown she wore for her performance with Sting to benefit Save the Children/Red Barnet. Joe donated a performance shirt and a pair of his corduroy jeans to benefit Camp Barnabas. Buddy Jewell donated his leather vest and a pair of jeans that he performs in to benefit St. Jude's Children Research Hospital.

To view all the items or to make a bid, log on to www.rags4riches.org. For more information on Celebrity Rags 4 Charity Riches and upcoming auctions, also visit their website.