Grace St. Luke’s Annual Anchor Auction
By: Hannah Bailey
A beach vacation to Destin and a blues trip to Clarksdale headline the annual
Anchor Auction at Grace St. Luke’s School April 13.
The live auction portion of the event will feature art projects done by each
classroom. Though many of the projects from each grade change each year, the
eighth grade project is a collection of each child’s self-portrait done in the pop art
style of Andy Warhol and has become a tradition.
The Crazy Critters classroom in Kindergarten created the highest bidding
artwork at last year’s auction. The students created an oversized work of art in the
shape of a butterfly. Classroom moms then had the artwork copied and made into
posters, which were sold to parents for $20 each.
Anchor Auction committee head Shanti Smyth says the committee hopes to
meet or exceed last year’s fundraising total of $45,000.
Works from local artists, interior design and landscaping services, parties,
and gift certificates to local restaurants also will be featured, according to
committee member Katy Smith.
“Donations for auction items will be accepted until the day of the event,” said
Smith.
The Anchor Auction is the largest of several fundraisers organized by the
Grace St. Luke’s Parents Association. Other money raising efforts include box top
collections and spirit wear, cookie dough, and wrapping paper sales.
The money collected from all fundraisers is used to buy items for the
classrooms. Teachers are asked to submit a wish list of things they would like to
have to improve their classroom’s learning environment. In the past, proceeds have
gone to renovate playgrounds and bathrooms, install lights at Snowden Field, and
buy computers, smart boards and iPads for the classrooms.
“Last year the preschool wanted extra balls for the playground, and they
were purchased through money raised by the efforts of the Parents Association’s
fundraisers,” Smyth said.
In the past, the Anchor Auction has been a sit down dinner affair, but this
year will be a cocktail party catered by CFY catering. The silent auction and hors
d’oeuvres will begin the event and the live auction will start shortly after. A local
disc jockey will be the entertainment that will round out the evening.
The event is being held at Bridges, a youth leadership center located at 477
North Fifth St., from 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tickets are $85 and can be purchased
through the school.