April 22, 2004

A night of Fun and Funds ahead for Leland High School

Leland High School to show true colors Saturday night at annual Blue and Gold Auction

By Lorraine Gabbert
Staff Writer

Leland High School's Blue and Gold Auction, the major fund-raiser of the year, will be held this Saturday, April 24, at the Elk's Lodge. Besides being a fun-filled evening, the proceeds of this event go toward fulfilling teachers' wish lists, providing sports equipment for students, and scholarships for graduating seniors.

Live auction items include a weekend in the Wine Country, with a stay for two at the Madrona Manor, and passes to Copia winery; a getaway in a four-bedroom house in a country club setting at Lake Almanor; a chef's prepared dinner at home for 10, donated by Emile's; and “Roses are Red,” a prize that delivers a dozen red roses to your home once a month for a year, donated by Bloomster's. Among the silent auction items are a wood-fire pizza dinner for eight, prepared by San Jose Unified School District School Board President Gary Rummelhoff, and a theme dinner for 12, prepared by Party Helpers. Prizes will also be falling like pennies from heaven during “balloon poppers.” You can purchase a balloon for $10 and instantly be rewarded with a gift certificate valued from $10 to above $50.

“These events are always a lot of fun,” enthuses event co-chair Barbara Connors. “It's an opportunity to get together with your friends, and enjoy a real fun evening, while helping the school.”

Named after the high school's colors, the Blue and Gold Auction is an annual event in its 19th year at Leland High School, put on by the parent's club and the booster club. The parent's club fulfills the teachers' wish lists, and the booster club utilizes the funds for equipment purchases which benefits the sports program at the school.

“In the past,” notes Connors, “the parent's club money went towards purchasing musical instruments for the band, VCRs, magazine subscriptions, and ten scholarships for teacher-nominated graduating seniors for $200 each.

Last year the Blue and Gold Auction raised $20,000, but co-chair Patti Young would like to see them triple that amount. Her hope is to raise as much money as the elementary schools do.

“As we get into the high school years, parents tend to forget that the need is there,” says Young. “It seems that the donations and the help decrease, and we forget that at this age they need as much help as they did when they were small. I would like to see Leland High School raise $65,000 at their Blue and Gold Auction, the same as what is done at the local elementary school level.”

Solicitations co-chair Louise Gill agrees. “The fundamental goal of this event is to raise money for the school,” she stresses, “especially in this time of budget crisis for the San Jose Unified School District.”

Besides the silent auction, there will be a buffet dinner, a live auction, and a live band for dancing. It is intentionally not a formal event, as the focus is on fun. Around 6 p.m, the Rhythm Knights will entertain the crowd, the silent auction area will be open for bids, and hors d'oeuvres will be making the rounds. At 7:30 p.m., the buffet dinner will be served. “It's going to be a great night!” asserts Connors.

“It's a very casual evening,” comments Young. “We used to host this event at the Cinnabar Golf and Country Club, and it was a very formal affair. Last year was our first year at the Elk's Lodge, and it was a lot of fun, and you didn't have to worry about what you were going to wear. Because it wasn't a sit-down dinner, you could eat when you wanted to, roam around, and bid on the silent auction.”

Jean Rummelhoff and Louise Gill, co-chairs of Solicitations for the Blue and Gold Auction, are pleased with the donations they've received from parents and the community. “We have some great items,” contends Rummelhoff, “and we're hoping people will attend and support the school.”

“The auction prize items are phenomenal,” says Gill. “We have a Thomas Kinkade canvas entitled “The Lilac Bouquet,” and about 38 different theme baskets that range from a Mom's Week Off basket (which includes certificates for dinner at local restaurants, house cleaning, dry cleaning, and a spa package), to a Bling-Bling jewelry basket, a Handyman's basket, a Nights on the Town basket, and a Tiffany's necklace. The parents and community business donators were so generous, we were able to create some lovely baskets, and we had a lot of fun coming up with the names for them. We are hoping for a good turn-out at the event.”

“Barbara Connors and I would never have been able to do this event without the assistance of Laura Foote, Louise Gill, Renee and Tim Kempton, Smita Patel, and Jean Rummelhoff,” contends Young. “They have gone above and beyond, and done a superb job. We are so very thankful to have them on the team.”

Tickets for the Blue and Gold Auction are available at Leland High School's bank, located across from the school office, and cost $45 per person. To make a donation or purchase a ticket, call the school at (408) 535-6290 x230. The event is Saturday, April 24 from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. at the Elk's Lodge, located at 444 Alma Avenue, San Jose.