My kids go to a private school and we have raised over $100,000 at the last few auctions. Here are some of the big ticket items:
dogs - we always have a lab-type dog and a smaller, foofoo dog. The lab dogs usually go for over $3000.
Vacation homes
Parent sponsored dinners: Have a few families get together and host a Mexican Fiesta party, Italian, Mediterranean, Wine Tasting, etc. We always have about 5-6 of these and they go for over $1000. Families will go in on them together, so be sure to offer it for 10-12 people.
My cousin does this one at her auction and we're going to try it this year. A Ladies' Night Out with the Firefighters. Ask your local firestation to host a dinner
for the ladies! I heard it went over very well and at my meeting many of othe ladies said "I'm bidding on that".
WE also do class baskets and class projects. Memory quilts go for a lot of money. I found that you need to control the amount of work that the younger kids put into it or it just looks messy. For example, we did a kid's desk that we painted. We had the kids make these bugs out of some plasticy type stuff. We then put the bugs on top of the desk and covered it with a piece of glass. We also put the bugs on the chair seat and then covered it with plastic material. Went for over $300. Adults did the painting so it turned out cute but the kids had a part in making it. We chose bugs since it could be boy or girl.
We just received $200 GC from our local Arthur Murray, along with an offer to hold a mini dance lesson for a group of parents for free in advance of our event (which features a live band and dancing).
A local upscale restaurant has agreed to do a four-course tasting dinner for half the normal price, for up to 25 people. We only have to pay for the number of people who actually sign up. The price includes tax and gratuity for the meal, but people will be on their own for wine. The chef will come out and talk with us about the meal. A family that lives close to the restaurant has agreed to host the babysitting, so that the parents don't have to find a babysitter and the kids can all have a good time eating pizza while their parents have handmade pasta. Instead of auctioning it off, we're just going to have sign-up and charge the regular price of the meal plus $5. We will pocket $20 per person; purchasers will still get a decent deal because the babysitting is such a bargain.
Thank you Mandi. Also, FYI I just got a donation from my local Arthur Murray Dance studio and a Day Camp near my school gave a basket of goodies with a coupon for a new camper.
