Volunteer, Donate, Bid, and Win

Have Fun Helping Our School at Daycroft’s Annual Fundraising Auction

The annual auction held by Daycroft Montessori School has become a highlight of the social events arranged by the school.

A volunteer committee canvasses the communities surrounding the school for donations for the silent and live auctions, makes the arrangements for dinner and festivities, conducts the large prize raffle, and, most importantly, keeps track of all the bids and bidding results.

Donated items have included: a week’s use of a condo in Branston, Missouri; a week in Ogden, Utah; and a martini party for 25 at a summer home on Crooked Lake.

A quilt prepared by assembling squares decorated by each child in the classroom brought up bids in the thousands. Meanwhile, “Playing Hooky with ...” – in which Daycroft teachers donated a day away from the classroom to accompany the highest bidder on an appropriate activity – started bidding wars as well.

Each classroom also prepares a special art project for the auction. Themes have included:

• “Snack Around the World,” a collection of photos, books and snack items;
• “Tea for Two (and More),” a hand-painted ceramic tea set with an assortment of teas: and
• “Back to the Garden,” with books about gardening for all ages, a wagon full of potted plants, and child-sized tools.

At times, students have prepared an additional artwork for the auction. For instance, hand-built tiles prepared by each student formed a frieze around the classroom studying Ancient Greece, and one of each student’s two tiles were auctioned off individually.

The annual auction is an event for the entire Daycroft community. Parent volunteering and participation, classroom participation, teacher participation, and administration support all contribute to make the auction a community-building event not to be missed.

This year’s auction date is March 21, 2009. Mark your calendar!