Can someone explain the themed baskets and how to auction them off? I hate to use the word confused for the 100th time today, on just this website alone, but its so true.
Hey marypoppins, I see here where you replied to Holly that you have loads of ideas if interested. I am interested! I really loved your ideas and want more if you are willing to share !
I will take ideas from anyone willing to share.
Thanks,
bensmom This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
We ask each of our teachers to provide something that parents can bid on (it's not a requirement but they all do). It can be anything from breakfast with the teacher, tutoring or the teacher takes student to lunch and a movie or one brave teacher even took a group of three students on an overnight shopping trip. We do this as one of our silent auction items but another local school uses the raffle ticket method and allows people to buy raffle tickets to win the teacher item. We also do principal for the day, and first place in the carpool line (for the entire year: it went for $500!) We do children's art auction items (one item per class) and those are hugely popular, especially in younger grades.
Last year's chairman was very aggressive in seeking silent auction items. You'll be surprised what you can get if you simply ASK. She would call a hotel out of town and get a hotel room for two nights, then call a restaurant in that town and then tickets to a play and create a "package" up for bids. It took lots of manpower to do all this calling.
We had parents donate--if you are an accountant or a lawyer, you could donate a consultation. Dentists donated teeth whitening, etc. It was quite spectacular and raised alot of money but it's ALOT of work and this chairman swears she'll never do it again!
We had several unique items at our last Spring Gala, live & silent auction:
(live) Headmaster for a Day - $900 - to a 1st grader!
(live) Class Slumber Party - $875 - ptp couple donated pizza, midnight snacks & breakfast + hosts for the night, a fav. teacher also was chaperone.
(silent) Grade Decoupage Item (clock, tray) - cratfy PTP mum, used mini photos of class members and added a themed decoupage and decorative script - totally awesome! doing again this year! $75 - $575
(silent) Bedside Tables - Creative Wood class (teacher parent), designed, cut, assembled and stenciled their own creations - $375 - $700
(silent) Themed class baskets from each grade - the best last year was a Backyard BBQ, which included all BBQ (cedar planks, W/Sonoma tools,cook books) a croquet set, ice/beer bath, etc - $650!!!!!
We are a k-12 school with 170 students, and have raised $20,000 at our last 2 Galas.
note- This year another parent is teaching digitized photography,(co-sponsored by the PTP) I have to think of a unique way some of the students work could be included...!?!?!?!?!
I have loads of other ideas if you're interested.
Aly, PTP Pres.NY
Oh, I like these! I'm going to hit up our principle to donate a "principle for the day" certificate, complete kid sized jacket and tie.
You know, you would't have to do an overnight thing in the gym. We could auction off several PJ party packs (for 3 or 4 kids each). The kids could come in their PJ's, have a great time eating pizza, watching movies, painting their nails, etc. and be picked up at 11:00 PM. Done during December, this would double as childcare for families. Who wouldn't oodles for that!
Thinking about next year, our PTO could donate a bear to each Kindergarten class or a majic carpet to every 1st grade room. By the time the auction happens in December, all of the kids would be really vested in owning these items.
Here are some ideas that have been auctioned off at my kids'schools:
1) Classroom Build A Bears. My son's class went on a field trip to Build a Bear (they were studying bears). They made a girl bear and a boy bear and bought one outfit and a set of pajamas for each bear. The teacher had a diaper bag and a bedtime bear book for each bear. The kids took turns taking the bear home for the weekend (boys took the boy bear - girls took the girl bear). There was a journal for each bear as well. Each student would take pictures with the bear and write about their adventures over the weekend. At the end of the school year - they auctioned off the bears (with all accessories and journal). It was very popular. I bought the boy bear for my son and he still has it to this day. It's very special.
2) Magic Carpet - Another class took a rectangle carpet square sample and the class decorated it with "jewels" and sequins and paint. The kids took turns being the star of the week and was able to sit on this magic carpet during reading time, etc. They even took it home over the weekend to take care of it. It was auctioned off at the end of the year - believe it or not - someone paid $450 for that piece of carpet.
3) Wal-mart and IKEA sells plain white ceramic items that are already glazed: items like flower pots, piggy banks, cannisters, pitchers, etc. Any of these items would make great personalized classroom auction items. Have each child paint their fingerprint on one and turn into flowers or bugs(for instance on the flower pot).
4) Sleepovers in the gym - this was very popular at a school auction I went too. Several teachers gave an overnight package at the school to the top bidder (so like 10 teachers and the principal were together and each had a "winning student" - so lots of adult supervision and not adults alone with kids overnight). They had a sleepover in the gym. The teachers provided snacks and sodas and they played games and slept in sleeping bags. Each slot went for over $100. Also - the teachers and/or principal could auction off a "lunch with the teacher". Student gets to eat in the teachers' lounge. You'd be surprised how many would pay for that.
