MV's gala (their first I believe) is next week and I've been involved helping set up the music side it. Great group of volunteers (some with money raising and gala planning experience thank goodness) have really made it come together fairly smoothly. We didn't have endless meetings and duties got divvied up early and folks came through with what they said they could do. We're very lucky in having parents who either own, partially own, manage or work at various DC restaurants so we've lined up some great food too. We have staggered prices and tried our best to make it as inclusive as possible. I'm sure someone on here will chime in otherwise (they always do!) but I'm really looking forward to this and hoping we raise a lot of money for the school.
Curious to hear from other schools on how their galas/auctions went or are going.

Anonymous wrote:Didn't T. Rivers just have their gala? Did anyone go?

Not sure of their overall budget for gala, but they had put out a RFP for catering and their budget was $10k.

Didn't T. Rivers just have their gala? Did anyone go?

Anonymous wrote:YY parent here and I thought having it there was ridiculous. The point is to raise money for the school, not spend it on a venue.

Also a YY parent - personally I really liked that Gala, it was particularly nice that year if more expensive. The venue must have made a difference in the attendance though, that one made more money than anything before it.

Difference of opinion, reasonable people may disagree on their preferences.

Go to support. It's a worthy cause, i dont even understand why this is being discussed.

Galas are not that easy. One you have to find a location and vendor that have a connection to your school to even offer their facility and/or services for free or reduced cost. Unfortunately the philanthropic budget of places is very limited. My children go to a school that traditionally has its gala at Wilson High School up until last year. Between the drab atrium, pest control issues, etc parents refused to pay to go back.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ross Auction is free and open to the public every year. Cash bar.

This is model at our DCPS. Works fine and there's no ickiness. People bid way over value on most items, pay dues, and put cash in a donation bucket at the entry point (where lottery tickets are sold).

Ross's auction is held every year at a gorgeous building. Clearly they are donating the space for free and getting the food donated as well. If folks at other schools want to share their contacts/ideas for getting food donated, so other schools can reduce/lower ticket prices, we auction volunteers are all ears.

Anonymous wrote:And let's not mince words: you know exactly who you are, you that do these things.

It is entirely possible to fundraise for a school in a positive way, a way that does not exclude others or call them parasites. Seriously, in what universe is it okay to call other parents parasites? Frankly, knowing the school you're talking about--not really sure you were actually ever even there yourself. Oh, but the gala. And supporting those "enrichment" programs, which are mostly YouTube videos
. well then.

Wow, you truly have no idea what you are talking about. You Tube videos? Our enrichment classes are taught by professionals in the field that are paid for by the PTA.

And FWIW I'm not the person that called parents parasites. But I don't equate raising money for school with a junior league. As many have said, our school does lots of events that are free and inclusive. The auction is the one thing for which you buy tickets. Some people go, some don't. It raises half the PTA's budget. Without it, the teachers would have to ask parents for money in different ways-- supply fees, field trip fees, etc. We think this is a better model. If you know a way for raise big dollars in other ways, please share so that we can all benefit.

Anonymous wrote:Lol. Defensive, much? Field trips, really?

Um yes. Our PTA raises money to pay for field trips and other things the teachers request. They do not pay for linoleum. That's not defensive, that's explanatory. "Lol"

And let's not mince words: you know exactly who you are, you that do these things.

It is entirely possible to fundraise for a school in a positive way, a way that does not exclude others or call them parasites. Seriously, in what universe is it okay to call other parents parasites? Frankly, knowing the school you're talking about--not really sure you were actually ever even there yourself. Oh, but the gala. And supporting those "enrichment" programs, which are mostly YouTube videos
. well then.

And would those be stem classes taught by a parent at your school paid to teach stem classes, despite their lack of a higher education stem degree?

I have a very simple, if sometimes vengeful rule: you don't call other parents parasites, you don't whine that parents who don't go to your gala hate your school, or don't understand what a "gala" is: and we are fine.

But when you do those things, when you try and make a public school fundraising event into your own sad junior league mixer--then we have issues.

Lol. Defensive, much? Field trips, really?

Anonymous wrote:If you call other parents at your school "parasites" your school has bigger problems than the 20k it raises at your "gala" and spends on linoleum.

If your attitude about a "gala" is that those who don't come are just haters, again, your school had a problem.

I see you really like "quotes" but I have no idea what you are talking about with "linoleum." Our PTA spends the money raised on field trips and enrichment classes for all kids.

Anonymous wrote:Ross Auction is free and open to the public every year. Cash bar.

This is model at our DCPS. Works fine and there's no ickiness. People bid way over value on most items, pay dues, and put cash in a donation bucket at the entry point (where lottery tickets are sold).

If you call other parents at your school "parasites" your school has bigger problems than the 20k it raises at your "gala" and spends on linoleum.

If your attitude about a "gala" is that those who don't come are just haters, again, your school had a problem.