How to Participate in the Evening of Pawsibilities via Zoom

If you’re relatively new to Zoom, you might find these instructions and screen shots especially helpful!

1. Create GiveSmart account. Make sure to create your free GiveSmart account first; click HERE to do so.
2. Install Zoom. If you haven’t yet installed Zoom on your device, you’ll need to do so now. You can download the Zoom app onto your smartphone via your app store or download it onto your laptop/computer by going to https://zoom.us and clicking the orange “SIGN UP, IT’S FREE” button in the upper right corner. For Mac users: the Zoom app is not on the app store–it must be downloaded from the Zoom website! Follow the prompts as it guides you. After signing up, you’ll be prompted to download the Zoom app onto your computer. Click “Download” and follow the instructions.
   • If you are not automatically prompted to download the app after you complete the sign-up requirements, scroll to the bottom of the website and locate the “Download” subcategory (second column from the left) and click “Browser Extension.”
3. Log into Zoom. After downloading the Zoom app, you will need to open it and enter your newly-created login credentials. Once you do so, you will be redirected to your home screen.
4. Join the Zoom. At or shortly before 7:30 p.m., you can either click the link in the email you receive from us with the Zoom invitation within it, or you can, from your home screen, click the blue “plus” icon that says “Join.” If you click “Join,” you will be prompted to enter your participant name (you can enter it any way you’d like and then change it once in the Zoom, but for maximum ease, use your bidder number and full name–see note immediately below) and the meeting ID, which will be included in the email we send to you (using the email address you registered in GiveSmart with) before the stream begins. Then click “Join.”
5. Ensure that you can hear and that you’re muted. You’ll definitely want to hear the audio that we push into the live stream! Make sure to tell Zoom you’d like to join with computer audio. You may need to make sure your computer/speaker settings (in general and outside of Zoom) are set properly. Unmute and turn up your volume if needed. You might consider using another service, like playing a Youtube video, to see if you can hear that or if you only cannot hear Zoom. If you are not automatically muted upon entry, please mute yourself so others on the call can hear what’s going on in the event as best as possible and so you can maintain your privacy. To mute yourself, simply click the “Mute” button in the bottom left corner of the Zoom call.
6. Change your display name. Once you enter the stream, take a moment to change your display name. This is important for bidding in the live auction, as we’ll need to connect your winning bid with your GiveSmart account, but it will also help us do the best job we can of interacting with you and providing any help you might need during the stream. Changing your display name is temporary and only lasts for the life of the Zoom; on your next Zoom, you’ll be back to your usual display name without having to do anything.
   • To change your name for this Zoom, hover over your own participant window or your own name (if you’re in “Full Screen – Speaker” view, you may need to exit full screen or switch to “Full Screen – Gallery” view) and you’ll see a blue square with three white dots pop up. Click the three dots and choose “Rename” from the menu of options.

1. • You’ll be prompted to enter a new screen name. Please type in your BIDDER NUMBER and then FIRST and LAST NAMES, for example, “21 Rachel Cronmiller.” Then, hit the “OK” button.
     • To find your bidder number, log into GiveSmart and select “MY INFO” from the menu. Your bidder number will be shown to you here.
     • No bidder number? That’s okay! The absence of a bidder number does not mean anything is wrong! Simply change your display name to your full name instead (for example, “Rachel Cronmiller”). NOTE: this is still an important step for live auction bidding even if you don’t have a bidder number.
   • If you cannot successfully change your display name, send us a chat (see below), or we may send a chat to you. We are able to change your name for you; we’ll just need your information (bidder number/name) and can retrieve that info via a quick chat with you.
2. Raise your hand to bid. As our emcee and auctioneer, Brian, goes through the live auction items and hits the price point at which you’d like to bid on an item, use the “hand raise” function to place your official bid. At the bottom of your Zoom screen, hit the “Reactions” tool (smiley face with a plus sign) and select “Raise Hand.”Raising your hand counts as your bid in the live auction. You’ll see a yellow hand in the corner of your own participant window, and we’ll see it, too! A volunteer at the event will convey your bid to Brian and then the volunteer will lower your hand for you.
3. Bid again until you win! Someone else in the room, or someone else on Zoom, might then outbid you. Brian will then call for another price point. If you’d like to bid again to place yourself back in the winner’s seat for that item, simply use the “Raise Hand” feature again and our proxy bidder will again communicate your bid to Brian and then lower your hand.
4. Check out and receive your item. After the live auction closes, the item you won will be connected (by one of our volunteers) to your GiveSmart account. This will allow you to pay for the item after the event and receive the item. Remember, most live auction items can be mailed to you if you cannot pick up your items at Second Chance or have someone do so for you, but item #106, the Adirondack chairs, cannot be mailed (they can, however, be delivered if you’re in the Triangle yet unable to pick up something so sizable).

A note on using the chat feature: during the stream, you may want to talk to us or to others who are watching, be it to engage in commentary or to ask a question/ask for help. To chat, click the “Chat” option at the bottom of the Zoom screen. In the chat, you can choose whether to message us as the hosts or to have your message be visible to everyone. You are welcome and encouraged to engage with others and comment on the event activities! (As always, we trust you’ll keep it kind and respectful!) 

Additionally, we may initiate a chat with you! If your display name does not indicate your bidder number or full name, we may send a chat your way to ask for that information, as we can change your name for you and need to know some or all of this information for a live auction bidder/winner. We may also ask for your phone number via chat or send you ours if a phone call will help to sort out an issue and if we are able to engage in a phone call during the event. You’ll see a notification pop up, or you can also pop the chat box open anytime and leave it open.