A trip to the Rose Bowl, a weekend with a Porsche and a Lego-based interpretation of “Old Glory” were all available for purchase at the 12th annual “Growing Great Kids” auction on March 3. The auction is a fundraiser for Assumption Catholic School, this year’s event being the most successful to date.
“We brought in $190,000 this year, the most we’ve ever done. After the costs of holding the event we should be able to take in $160,000,” first year principal Monica Des Jarlais said. This is a significant increase from last year when the event raised roughly $110,000.
The sold-out event was held at the Bellingham Golf and Country Club.This was the first year that the auction had major sponsors, although businesses have made contributions every year.
“We went through a new system this year, a sponsorship system. We give [businesses] advertising, and the sponsorships help pay for the costs of holding the auction,” Des Jarlais said.
Des Jarlais hopes that eventually, with the help of the new sponsorship system, some money raised from the auction can be saved for future use.
“The money from the auction is being raised for this years budget, but we want to get to the point where we’re using it in the future. Father Scott [Connolly] asked for donations that would be saved for the future, and we brought in $28,000 with that alone,” Des Jarlais said.
The first portion of the event was a silent auction, featuring nearly 300 items supplied mainly by parents of students at Assumption. Classroom projects were also auctioned off during the silent auction portion of the event.
“All the parents are required to give an item worth a hundred dollars. One of the things that does really well is dinners at parents houses. I myself auctioned off a Hawaiian dinner,” Des Jarlais said.
Parents don’t just contribute items to the auction, but also look for Bellingham businesses and residents to contribute to the event.
“The procedure for getting items starts with asking each Assumption family, as well as members of our parish to either donate directly, or procure a donation. The auction committee then supplements the donated items with what they think would be a good accompaniment to it. We have volunteers who will ask local business for donations, and most are happy to oblige,” Laurel Collins said. This is Collins’ second year as head of publicity for the event.
After the silent auction and dinner was a dessert dash where dinner parties at the event pooled money, with groups who paid the most getting the first choice of dessert. This portion alone raised $9,000. The conclusion of the evening was the live auction, which is when the most exciting items are sold.
“There were 30 items available at the Live Auction, which feature the larger, pricier items. This year's live auction included a number of week-long trips to Hawaii, Mexico, the San Juans, a side of grass fed beef, and a 2 person kayak,” Collins said. One of the school projects, a first-grade classrooms Lego recreation of the American flag, was sold at the live auction.
Tickets to the Rose Bowl were available for the first time at this years auction, and a weekend with a Porsche was available at the live auction for a second straight year.
“I'd have to say that they were the most highly coveted items in our live auction, and it was exciting to see the bidding wars unfold,” Collins said.
Planning the event is nearly a year-round task says Des Jarlais, because the fundraiser is so vital to the school. Planning for next year’s event will begin before this school year is over.
“We try so very hard to keep a Catholic education within reach, and this auction goes a long way toward meeting that goal,” Collins said.
Des Jarlais wasn’t only impressed by the financial success of the event.
“It’s also just a fun event, between dinner, dancing and watching people bid against each other. It was really exciting, and it certainly made me feel good about being in such a wonderful community,” Des Jarlais said.
