FREDERICK, Md. -

Starting two weeks from today, the National Auto Auction Association will begin celebrations for its annual National Auto Auction Week.

It will be held Aug. 20 through Aug. 24 and is designed to spotlight seven decades of entrepreneurship within auto auction business, as well as the industry’s economic impact and community service

Offering a bit of history on the week, NAAA said the event was created to teach the public about the auction industry and highlight its contributions.

“Due to the unavailability of vehicles in the South during the Depression, some enterprising livestock auctioneers began bringing down a few used cars from the North to sell along with cattle and farm machinery,” officials noted. “Today, the NAAA reports that its 314 North American members sold 7.66 million vehicles worth $73 billion in 2011.”

They also pointed out that the average auction has 141 employees, and the average size of an auction facility is roughly 79 acres.

“These figures show the strength and depth of a mature industry,” said NAAA president Charlotte Pyle. “Despite numerous challenges to the U.S. economy, our industry has demonstrated its resiliency.”

Pyle went on to note the history of community contributions within the auction business. Auctions have sponsored a vast array of activities and causes within respective communities, including college scholarships, children’s sports and much more. In fact, more than $1.8 million in charitable funds was raised by NAAA members in 2011.

To learn more about the week, visit www.naaa.com.

Auctions looking to access celebration materials can visit http://www.naaa.com/2012NAA_Week/2012NatlAA_Week.html.