We recently attended our school's 2nd Annual Fundraiser Ball.  Last year they raised almost $40,000!  I haven't heard yet how much they made this time but it is probably comparable.

It is a formal event and this year they even had a red carpet and a Joan Rivers impersonator.  Her voice was dead on but she was a much more attractive lady.  They video taped her "interviewing" people as they entered and throughout the evening.  I bet they have some great black mail material with that one!

This year they had very little food and a whole lot of alcohol.  The idea was to get everyone drunk then have a live auction and inspire them to spend all of their money.  It worked in most cases.  For instance, one of the live auction items was a limo service for 6 ladies for a Ladies' Night Out.  It went for $1500!

They also had a silent auction where donated items were displayed throughout the banquet hall with bid sheets in front of them.  Throughout the evening you had a chance to write your designated number and a bid for your desired item and then at the end of the event you find out if you won the bid.  We got an hour's worth of interior decorating consulting for $70.  One of the silent auction items we bid on was our son's class' "kid creation" (each class made something with donated materials).  It was a book shelf with little thumbprint bugs painted on it.  We didn't win that one because it ended up going for over $400.

There was also a DJ and dancing.  I don't feel like a mom when I am out dancing but I am still aware that these other people are parents, teachers and faculty at my son's school.  I just kept thinking, "If the kids could see us now they would be sooooo embarrassed!"  I know I would have wanted to crawl under a rock if I saw my parents behaving that way when I was young.

We had a great evening with our neighbor friends who all have kids in the same school.  The teachers and faculty are all great and it is nice to know there are so many great parents involved in our school.  It is a creative, fun and effective fundraiser.  I highly recommend it!