Reaching for the Stars, O'Neal’s 39th Annual Auction was held on Saturday, February 6, 2010 at the Fair Barn in Pinehurst. What a night it was!! The Fair Barn was beautifully decorated and the expansive room was filled with over 400 silent auction items along with a collection of almost 200 bottles of wine that was part of the eighteen Live Auction lots.
This year’s auction was the most successful in the school’s history! The auction donors (local businesses and parents) were very generous with the items they donated and the auction attendees were extremely generous with the bids they offered for the silent and live auction items. The auction netted over $160,000, an increase of 25% over last year’s results!
Roberta King, Board of Trustee member and her husband, Steve, along with O’Neal’s Headmaster Alan Barr and his wife, Kelly, welcomed the guests at Reaching for the Stars. Executive Committee members Konni McMurray, Kim Meeks, Bev O’Donnell and Missy Woodell were instrumental in organizing the auction and the numerous volunteers needed to put on such a large event. The Auction Committee, which consists of 30 dedicated parents, turned the Fair Barn into a festive hall filled with flowers, candles, shiny lights and fabulous items up for auction to the highest bidder. The Upper School students, along with the help of Upper School art teacher, Beth Garrison, created the sparkly silver and gold centerpieces with “stars” as the central theme. O’Neal students, Jamie McCall, Addison Horner and Katie Tighe, volunteered their time to play music at both ends of the Fair Barn.
New this year, a Preview was held on Friday, February 5th from 9am-12pm. This event was sponsored by Tobacco Road Golf Club. We invited the community to join us for a special morning that included breakfast from Chef Paul’s Café and Catering along with Lower School student entertainment. There were four Pandora jewelry giveaways from Framer’s Cottage and a Pandora fashion show as well. At the conclusion of the event, one lucky winner was awarded a $300 pearl bracelet from Brenda’s Jewelers. Even though it was an extremely cold and rainy morning, the Preview attendees enjoyed listening to the students sing, the breakfast, the jewelry giveaways and the opportunity to really “preview” the auction before Saturday night’s big social event.
“This year’s auction proved to be the most successful in the school’s history. We would like to thank all the local businesses who are so generous when our auction volunteers seek donations. They give us great items with real value for our auction attendees. We couldn’t be so successful without the support from local businesses and parents. Everyone really steps up to help O’Neal create an environment of excellence in education,” stated Lynn Melton, auction director. “We couldn’t do it without the support of the local business community as they realize many of their loyal customers are O’Neal parents.”
We would like to thank all those who attended the 39th Annual Auction, those who donated items and those who underwrote the Auction with financial support. O’Neal appreciates the financial commitment from all, especially the alumni who participated. O’Neal students also took part this year – they created and designed the 1500 auction invitations, hand-wrote thank you notes to our donors, sang music at the Preview, created the table centerpieces and played music at the Auction. The students helped us “reach for the stars.”
The live auction assortment this year was spectacular. From a Wicked ticket package with dinner and limousine service to a five-night ski trip to Park City and Deer Valley, Utah, the items were varied and unusual. A fantastic assortment of live auction items were up for bid: four tickets to the UNC vs. Duke basketball game; six tickets for the American Idol 2010 summer concert tour; a complete orthodontic case from Dr. Michael Henry; a 200 bottle wine collection; dinners from area chefs along with musical performances, beach houses; a photographic session; a Wine Cellar and Tasting Room party; a complete package at Bald Head Island to include accommodations, golf, rafting, tours and transportation to and from the island; Panther’s club-level tickets; a UNC Chancellor for a Day package; and a VIP package for the Black Eyed Peas concert. Greg Quiroga, from the San Francisco-based Reynolds and Buckley, served as the auctioneer for the live auction. He is an avid golfer and an expert on wines. His services were appreciated by all the auction attendees because he was professional, courteous and entertaining.
Mr. Barr pulled the lucky ticket for the $10,000 Cash Raffle prize and awarded it to Laurie Gutschmit Trexler ('83) and her husband, Don, who have three children at O'Neal. They in turn, spent quite a bit of that money at the auction! At the end of the night, Mr. Rich Tompkins, Middle School Director, awarded the jewelry raffle. Shari Basile was given the beautiful blue topaz necklace donated by Honeycutt Jewelers.
When the doors opened at 6pm, the Fair Barn was filled with the aroma of fabulous food created by Chef Mark Elliott of Elliotts on Linden. It was an evening of tapas – there were various tables around the room filled with sushi, prime rib, shrimp and grits, and Asian and Italian cuisine along with a table of dips for the star-shaped, hand-made tortilla chips. There was also a host bar so the evening was filled with food and drink!
Next year’s auction will be held on Saturday, February 5, 2011. Please join us for another evening of fun and fund-raising!
The O'Neal School hosted Curtains to Net, the 38th Annual Auction, on Saturday, February 7, 2009 at the Fair Barn in Pinehurst. The evening was filled with excitement as 400 silent and 20 live auction items were sold to O’Neal parents and friends of the school. This year’s Auction was hugely successful in a difficult economic climate by netting over $129,000 to the school, exceeding last year’s figure by $10,000. Those funds will be allocated to the Arts and Athletic programs at O’Neal.
Christa Duffy, Board of Trustee member and her husband, Peter, along with Board of Trustee President Hu Poston and his wife, Marret, welcomed the guests at the Fair Barn. Executive Committee members Dana Barnes, Marty Hefner, Konni McMurray and Bev O’Donnell were instrumental in organizing the auction and the numerous volunteers needed to put on such a large event. The entire Auction Committee turned the Fair Barn into a festive hall filled with flowers, candles and fabulous items up for auction to the highest bidder.
“With the help of area businesses who donated items and services, O’Neal, along with dedicated parents, is able to produce a hugely successful event,” stated Lynn Melton, auction director. “We couldn’t do it without the support of the generous community.”
A big thank you goes out to all who attended the Annual Auction, to those who donated items and to those who underwrote the Auction with financial support (please see the list of sponsors to the right). The school appreciates the financial commitment from all.
A variety of live auction items were on the block, such as a four night stay in Sonoma, California, a three-night stay at Charleston’s Market Pavilion Hotel, six concert tickets for the American Idol 2009 Summer Tour, a complete orthodontic case, two diamond necklaces, student art, a wine collection, dinners from area chefs, beach houses, a photographic session, Panther’s club-level tickets and a laser skin package. Ed Gold, from the San Francisco-based Reynolds and Buckley, served as the auctioneer for the live auction. He injected humor and creativity into his auctioneering style.
Chef Mark Elliott of Elliotts on Linden catered the event with different stations for a tapas dinner including sushi, prime rib, Asian and Italian cuisine. With so many offerings and a host bar, an attendee would not go home hungry or thirsty!
Please watch your mail in January 2010 for an invitation to the 39th Annual Auction, Reaching for the Stars. Please join us for an evening of fun and “fund”-raising! If you would like to help with item or cash donations or as a volunteer on the Auction Committee, please email Lynn Melton at lmelton@onealschool.org or call (910) 692-6920 ext. 104.