April 8, 2004

An evening under the stars

Simonds Elementary School raises $52,000

By Kymberli W. Brady
Staff Writer

Nearly 225 parents, teachers and community supporters attended Simonds School’s annual fund-raiser at Cinnabar Hills Golf Club March 13 for “An Evening Under The Stars.”

Touted as a much-anticipated night out—complete with cocktail dresses, hors d’oeuvres, and drinks, along with a little mingling and a lot of bidding, the central theme focused on raising money for the school’s award-winning Music and Technology Foundation.

With Mark Mangin as auctioneer, both live and silent auctions featured handcrafted quilts, paintings, notecards, birdbaths, ceramic planters, and furniture—one-of-a-kind items that highlighted the evening and raised more than $52,000 for the school, $7,000 more than last year.

Co-chair Joy Spodick credited much of the event’s success to the change in venue. “It was our second year taking it off site and we’ve been tremendously successful,” she said. “Before, we were only netting $15,000 to $20,000. Everybody has a chance to get out and the community really supports it.”

Funds raised during “An Evening Under The Stars” were as a result of items handcrafted by every student in the school, which were then put on the auction block in an effort to further support the same music and technology programs they participate in—the culmination of a perfectly organized and executed full-circle scenario.

Teacher treats also enabled students to bid on specialties such as pizza and board games, trips to concerts and the ballpark, ice cream excursions, and bookstore shopping expeditions with their favorite teachers. “One hundred percent of the faculty participated,” said Spodick. “Each classroom also donated a themed class basket.”

Arguably the most popular auction items among the students were those that featured two weeks of no homework and the opportunity to be principal for a day with Linda Kakes—complete with whistle blowing, announcements, yard duty and classroom visits.

“All of these donations helped to make the event a smashing success,” noted Spodick. “It was a very fun evening.”