| Publication:Idaho State; |
Date:Mar 8, 2009; |
Section:Front Page; |
Page Number:A1 |
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Funding a private education
Cre-Act school here has auction
BY YANN RANAIVO yranaivo@journalnet.com
CHUBBUCK — Passers-by inside the Ramada Inn Saturday pointed in awe as they browsed a diverse group of items that included a wooden rocking chair, Japanese portrait and Dirt Devil vacuum cleaner, among more than 30 other prizes.
Those items were auctioned off Saturday evening during the annual silent auction for the Franciscan Cre-Act School, a private pre-K
to fifth-grade level school in Pocatello.
Other auctioned gifts, which were also donated from throughout the community, included value prizes such as tickets for rafting trips and annual barbecue parties. The value prizes were auctioned off during a live auction Saturday.
Sister Janice Otis, the principal at Cre-Act, said her school relies heavily on donations and fundraisers to purchase supplies such as educational games, textbooks and other academic materials. She said fundraisers also help cover other expenses outside of teacher salaries.
The auction is one of two major fundraising events Cre-Act hosts annually. The other is the school play.
Otis said Saturday’s auction, which was accompanied by a dinner, looked to serve about 120 people, which was double the attendance from last year.
“I have to say that the response has been tremendous,” she said. “I’ve never seen such donations given to the school.”
Otis said Cre-Act’s annual operating budget is about $125,000 but added that the cost of running private education has gone up in recent years.
“We’re holding our own at the moment, even with prices going up,” she said. “We have to keep up with everything.”
Otis said Cre-Act needs to raise about $25,000 from both of its annual fundraisers in order to adequately maintain a sufficient supply of educational materials. She hoped to raise between $12,000 and $15,000 Saturday, adding that last year’s auction generated about $10,000.
Total dollars raised from the fundraiser were not available as of press time Saturday. The auctions were scheduled to end a little before 9 p.m.
