School fundraiser ties last year’s mark

Glenn Dale Elementary auction brings in $8,500 in bids for hotel stays, flying lessons and sports tickets

Wednesday, Nov. 22, 2006

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by Brooke N. Garner

Staff Writer

Click here to enlarge this photo

Raphael Talisman⁄The Gazette

Mira Sims and her husband Fred Brewer of Lanham celebrate the winning bid for their daughter to do the live weather forecast on WTTG-Fox 5. The auction for Glenn Dale Elementary School was held at Glenn Dale Golf Club on Friday night.

Parents and staff at Glenn Dale Elementary School had their wallets wide open Friday evening as they bid on more than 100 items during the Third Annual Live & Silent Auction.

The school’s Parent Teacher Association hosted the fundraiser at the Glenn Dale Golf Club. This year’s auction brought in $8,500, the same amount as last year’s.

Silent auction items included themed baskets, created by the different classes, evenings out, clothing and social time with all of the teachers. For the live auction, parents and staff bid on hotel stays, flying lessons and sports tickets. The first live auction item, a group dinner at the Marrakech Moroccan restaurant in the District, sold for $475.

‘‘The PTA decided to embark on the auction as a fundraising opportunity and it’s now our biggest fundraiser of the year,” said president Kathryn Holmes Johnson. ‘‘The funds support school assemblies, teacher appreciation day and the arts program.”

More than 50 businesses and families contributed items for the auction. Principal Lia Thompson and Assistant Principal Gene Esposito also auctioned use of their parking spaces for one month. Roz Plater, from WTTG Fox 5, was the emcee.

‘‘We were lucky. Most of the businesses that donated last year donated this year too,” said PTA Vice-President Kim Brooks. ‘‘It’s a lot of fun. We enjoy it and it’s very profitable.”

The Golf Club is owned by the Shields family, alumni of the elementary school. The golf club has been the site of the auction every year. To show their appreciation, the PTA presented a framed painting of the school to the family prior to the auction’s start.

Joye Barksdale, parent of fifth-grader Jordan, transferred her daughter from Rockledge Elementary in Bowie to Glenn Dale this year due to boundary changes. Getting involved with the PTA and the auction allowed her to learn more about her daughter’s new school.

‘‘Ms. Thompson is fabulous,” Barksdale said. ‘‘The experience has been really great. Glenn Dale does such wonderful things.”

Glenn Dale Elementary School is located at 6700 Glenn Dale Road in Glenn Dale.

E-mail Brooke N. Garner atbgarner@gazette.net.

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