What is the Auction?
This is St. Thomas More Catholic Community's spring 2018 fundraising event to benefit the school. Past and present families and friends of the St. Thomas More Catholic Community are all invited!
Check-in takes places at the east-side doors of St. Thomas More Catholic School at 1065 Summit Avenue. Walk downstairs to the gym where the silent auction takes place from 5:30-7:30pm where you can purchase drinks, enjoy appetizers and bid on silent auction items using your mobile phones. We will be selling business donations, community donations, classroom art, teacher treasures and more.
At 7:30pm, you will move up to the auditorium where the dinner and live auction starts around 7:45pm. You will be seated at a table and served dinner by a server. Wine is available for purchase to have ready at your table. In addition, there will be a bar available to purchase additional drinks. The live auction will be hosted by a STM Emcee and an Auctioneer. We end the night by asking for donations to a FundANeed. After the FundANeed, music will play and you can dance and mingle.
What is the theme?
Our theme this year is More Havana Nights! Celebrate 1950s Cuba! Come to our version of the Tropicana Club ready to dance, feast on Cuban food, drink a mojito, enjoy a rum tasting and smoke a cigar!
What to wear? Cocktail dresses, linen suits, beach attire, traditional Cuban dress, famous 1950s celebrities, famous 1950s mobsters. If you hate dressing up, that is okay too- just show up in beach or regular casual- we want your presence!
Where can I buy Auction tickets?
Go to Tickets go on sale March 1st. Individual tickets can be purchased at an early bird price of $50 until Friday, April 13th and then individual tickets are $75 thereafter. Whole tables of 8 can be purchased for $400 until Friday, April 20th, when ticket sales close. You can also purchase bottles of wine to have ready for you at your table. If you purchase a whole table, you provide a list of 8 gueststo seat at it and those seating assignments are guaranteed. If you buy individual tickets, you can request who you would like to be seated next to andwe will try (but cannot guarantee) to accommodate your request.
What can I donate?
We want your donations! We love all donations. Popular donations include:
- Gift cards or vouchers (to your business, work or favorite place)
- Personal items (candlesticks, picture frames, chocolate chip cookies, quilted blankets, hand crafted pottery, artwork)
- Experiences (tennis lessons, home cooked meals, babysitting)
- Parties
- Getaways! (donate a timeshare/vacation home/cabin/hotel stay)
- Tickets to events (sporting events, theater, concerts, Solo Vino wine tastings)
- Items for classroom baskets
We have a strict donation deadline of Friday, April 13th. Get those donations in early! Click here to donate.
I have a business and would like to advertise by sponsoring the Auction. How can I do this?
We have the following sponsorships available.
Platinum Sponsorship: $750
-Your logo on entrance poster
-Your logo on the live auction slide show
-Full page ad in event brochure (8.5 x 5.5)
-Your logo on the STM Bidpal website
-Four admission tickets ($200 value)
Gold Sponsorship: $500
-Full page ad in event brochure (8.5 x 5.5)
-Your logo on the STM Bidpal website
-Two admission tickets ($100 value)
Silver Sponsorship: $250
-Half page ad in event brochure (4.25 x 5.5)
-Your logo on the STM Bidpal website
Basic Sponsorship: $100
-Your logo on the STM Bidpal website and in event brochure
Click here to sponsor.Sponsorships are also due Friday, April 13th.
How can I donate a party?
Parties historically have been a moneymaker for our school and are great ways to build friendships in our community. Here are steps for donating a party:
- Find others that you would like to host a party with.
- Pick a venue (someone’s house, a club or a business venue).
- Pick a theme.
- Pick a date.
- Determine the # of attendees you'd like host.
- Determine the pricing per attendee. Typically, kids parties are $10-$15 per child and adult parties are $25 per adult BUT the pricing may vary depending on the type of the party.
The host(s) do NOT need to purchase a ticket for their owndonated party.Don't overthink it. Your adult party can be a simple one such as an Oktoberfest party or a Cinco de Mayo party or perhaps a Super Bowl party. Your kid party can be a movie watching party, lego party, slip or a backyard slip n slide party. Anything goes. And parties can be small. A 10 person party at $25 per person brings in $250 for our school and deepens friendships!
Click here to donate a party.
How can I volunteer?
Want to be on the Auction planning committee? We would love your help. Please email for more information on being a part of the committee. We also need volunteers to help set up and help run the event. Tasks generally include decorating the auditorium the day before, bartending, checking guests in, selling raffle tickets, checking out for the silent auction winners, cleanup and more). A sign-up genius will be emailed out before the event. We will also post a link to the sign-up genius once it is created.
What is the Fund A Need?
Each year we raise funds for a specific need that will directly help benefit our kids at the school. This year’s FundANeed is for new technology updates and expansions.
What are the classroom/grade level baskets?
Each year, we put together auction baskets from donations by grade. The baskets are also way for the students to get involved in the fun of the auction. Each grade will have a theme, and we ask that families donate items relating to that theme. Teachers will place a bin outside their classrooms and please place your donations in those. The 2018 grade themes are:
Preschool: Costume/Dress-Up Basket
Capes, Dresses, Shoes, Ties, Gloves, Jewelry, Costumes, Hats, Glasses, Boas, Accessories, Shoes, Scarves, Bandanas, Eye Patches
More’s Fours: Baking Brigade Basket
Baking mixes (muffins, cakes, cookies), frosting, baking with kids cookbook, aprons, kids’ mixing utensils, measuring cups, cookie cutters, decorating supplies.
Kinders: Summer Fun Basket
This is an endless basket of outdoor fun. This basket has everything a family needs to banish the dreaded b-word (bored). Jump Ropes, Sidewalk Games, Sidewalk Chalk, Pool Toys, Squirt Guns, Beach Balls, Bubbles, Soccer Balls, Water Balloons, Kites, Tennis Balls or Racquets, Badminton
1st grade: Star Wars
The Force is Strong with This One. Anything related to Star Wars fits in this basket. Marvel, Light Sabers, Comic books, Legos, Costumes, DVDs, Action figures, Vehicles, use your Jedi training to find the right thing to add.
2nd grade: Legos
Any type and kind of Lego set belongs here. Lego Friends, Elves, Minecraft, Star Wars, Ninjago, Lego City, Frozen or a box of bricks for kids to make their own creation.
3rd grade: S.T.E.A.M (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, & Mathematics)
Open a world of possibilities for your kids with FUN disguised as learning. Science experiments, Rock sets, Lab kits, Laser games, Robotics, Gear sets, Snap circuits, Spirograph, Art jar, Origami, the possibilities are endless.
4th grade: Board Games, Puzzles, and Books
Donate your favorite board or card or dice games. Any kind of game is welcome. Favorite books, a boxed set, or Comic Books. Crosswords, Sudoku, and Puzzle sets also welcome.
5th grade: Nerf Toys Basket
All Nerf brand toys are welcome.
6th grade: Soccer and Baseball Basket
Anything related to playing soccer, baseball, softball or supporting the MN United or MN Twins goes into this active and fun basket.
7th grade: Football/Hockey/Basketball Basket
Anything related to playing football, hockey, basketball or supporting the MN Vikings, MN Wild, or MN Timberwolves goes into this active and fun basket!
8th grade: Gift Cards Basket
Favorite Things Gift Card Basket: Share the place you love with others! Gift cards from your Favorite Restaurants, Stores, and Activities.
What is classroom art?
Each classroom will be making art with love to sell in the silent auction. Past art has included decorated stepstools, coasters, photo collages, fingerprint paintings and more.
What are teacher treasures?
Kids love to spend time with teachers and staff outside the classroom. Therefore, many of the teachers and staff donate an experience or outing or activity as a teacher treasure. Popular teacher treasures have included principal for the day, bowling with a teacher, dessert with a teacher and more!
What is the teacher getaway raffle?
Each year, we have a raffle to send one teacher on a “getaway.” Past getaways have included a night at a spa hotel or a night out on town. At the silent auction, purchase one or more raffle tickets, write down the name of the teacher you would like to win and deposit them into the designated raffle box. We will perform the raffle and announce the winning teacher during the live program. Cost is $5 per raffle ticket.
What is the student raffle?
We are having a student raffle for the kids, where we will be raffling off a number of fun kid baskets. These baskets will be displayed in the trophy shelf by the school offices. Students can buy raffle tickets for $1 each! Tickets will be sold at the grade school Learning Fair and preschool Art Show on April 24th, and before school between 8-8:10am by both the grade school office and Ms. Larkin’s office during the week of April 23rd-27th.
I cannot attend the Auction. Can I still bid?
Yes! You can bid on silent auction items remotely. However, if you would like to bid on live auction items, please designate a proxy to do so on your behalf.
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