Frequently Asked Questions
Lights, Camera, Auction!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Lights,
Camera, Auction?
Lights, Camera, Auction! is the PTA’s
biennial fund raising event for parents, teachers, staff and friends of our
school who advocate for the success of our children. This social event provides a wonderful
opportunity for us to reconnect with each other and reinvigorate the pride in
our school. Ask anyone who has attended
a Sunset auction in the past and they will tell you how much fun this evening
really is!
Why do we have an
auction?
The
auction is necessary to fund many of our PTA programs and events. The money raised at the 2011 auction will
allow us the opportunity to offer the following programs, services and
activities for the next two years.
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What will the evening
look like?
We
are offering two different ticket options for our guests. The
Champagne & Hors d’oeuvres Preview Reception ($100 by 2/18) begins at
5:00pm where ticket purchasers can get an early start on the bidding process
while enjoying passed hors d’oeuvres along with complementary champagne and J.
Bookwalter wine.
If
you purchased the Dinner & Auction Ticket
($65 by 2/18) the doors will open at 5:45pm to the main hall where you can
start bidding on fabulous items. In past
years there have been 3 silent auction tables with various items and experiences. How many tables we have this year will
depend on how many items we procure.
Each silent auction table closes at different times with our MC belting
out reminders throughout the evening.
At
7:15pm, everyone moves into the dining room for dinner and the start of the
live auction.
Where should I park?
Meydenbauer
Center's 434 space underground pay parking facility operates on a first-come,
first-served basis. There will be another event at the Center that
evening. Be sure to allow yourself plenty
of time to park so you will have time to socialize and bid, bid, bid! Check out Meydenbauer’s
website for more parking information at www.meydenbauer.com.
Who can attend the
auction?
Anyone
can attend this fundraising event! Our
auction is not limited to just Sunset families.
Relatives and friends can attend and enjoy a fabulous evening. Just make sure you RSVP for the correct
number of people. This is an adult-only
evening.
What is the dress
code?
Cocktail
attire is recommended. This year’s theme is “Lights, Camera, Auction!” Come prepared to
walk the red carpet in style as the paparazzi are snapping your photos! So if you have that gorgeous gown you’ve
wanted to wear or your tuxedo is collecting dust, go ahead and wear your
finest!!
How do I get my auction
catalog?
Auction
catalogs will be distributed to the oldest child per household at the beginning
of March. Be sure to look for them and
get your items highlighted for bidding!
In the meantime, you can get a sneak peek of the
items already donated online at the auction website.
Can I sit with my
friends?
On
the back of your RSVP card you have the opportunity to designate who you would
like to sit with. Each table sits up to
10 adults. Please confirm your choices
before sending in the card. This makes
our cross referencing all the easier.
How do I make
purchases?
At
Check-In, you will be given a bid number in exchange for your payment
information. Throughout the evening, you
will use your bid number to purchase any raffle and auction items. At the end of the evening, volunteers will
check you out and hand over the items you purchased that evening.
Do I have to RSVP to
attend?
Our
auction is a well-planned, sophisticated evening, and to ensure everyone has a
great time, you must RSVP to the auction.
Invitations have been sent out to every Sunset family. Included in the invitation is an RSVP card,
where you indicate whether you will attend, your choice of meal for dinner, and
with whom you would like to share a table.
Can I pay for my
reservation by check?
YES! This is our preferred method of payment to
RSVP. As with other vendors, we incur
credit card fees for every transaction.
By sending in a check as ticket payment, we are reducing our fees and
allowing more of our end of evening dollars to go directly back to our
children.
Are you selling
raffle tickets this year?
Yes,
we are offering all auction guests the opportunity to purchase raffle
tickets. The winner of this raffle will
get to choose a selected item out of the Live Auction. Some restrictions do apply. Stay tuned for additional details at the end
of the month.
When can I start
bidding on Teacher Outings and Experiences?
You
will have the opportunity to bid on these special donations starting at 6:00pm
the evening of the auction.
How can I bid on my
child’s classroom project?
Classroom
projects will be available for viewing and bidding during the silent auction.
There is no guaranteed bid during this time with the highest bid on each
project carried over into the Live Auction.
At each dinner table guests will find new bid sheets printed on brightly
colored paper. These are Bid-O-Gram ballots. The excitement never stops as one can bid at
any time during dinner by completing a Bid-O-Gram
ballot and holding it up for an Auction Runner to collect. This ballot is then delivered for recording
into the Bid-O-Gram system. Periodically throughout the Live Auction, the
auctioneer will direct guests’ attention to the screen with up-to-date Bid-O-Gram results. Winning bids will be recognized by bid
number, teacher name, and dollar amount.
At some point during the Live Auction, the auctioneer will announce the
closing of Bid-O-Gram and ask for
final bids. The auctioneer may at any
time bring a class project into the live auction. All classroom projects will be available at
the end of the night to take home to their new owners.
Where can I find the
Centerpieces?
We’ve
moved the glass plate “centerpieces” off of the dinner table and into the
Silent Auction room. This will allow all
guests to fully appreciate these beautiful works of art as well as have an
easier opportunity to decide which one is just right for your home.
Are we having a
Dessert Dash?
This
year we are doing something a bit different.
We are offering “A Dozen Decadent Desserts”. Guests will have an opportunity to bid on
twelve amazing desserts during the Live Auction prior to dinner. These desserts will be served to the bid
winning tables later in the evening.
What is Express Check
Out and how does it work?
In
order to avoid the checkout lines at the end of the evening, you can pre-register
your credit card when you check in. Your
bidder number is entered into a pay terminal at Check-in and your credit card
is swiped through the terminal. From
that point on, your credit card is linked to your bid number. You will sign a
$0.00 balance receipt and receive a copy, eliminating the need to see a cashier
at the end of the event. Your final
receipt will be sent to you by mail. All
credit card information is securely stored in the pay terminals and deleted
upon final event reconciliation.
What is the
difference between Raise the Paddle and the rest of the money that is raised?
The
Raise the Paddle portion of the evening will occur during the Live
Auction. This is an opportunity for each
bidder to decide how much they want to contribute to support a specific item (or set of items) for
Sunset. This year’s Raise the Paddle
proceeds will go directly to Science to
Go. Our goal is to raise the funds
for a two-year program at Sunset Elementary.
Science to Go offers a variety
of classes and hands on experiences for each grade level. We are very fortunate to have funded this
program through Raise the Paddle for the past four years. Without this designated giving, the PTA would
not be able to support this program on its own.
How can I help with
the auction?
Everyone
can help by attending the
auction. Many volunteers have been
working long and hard to create a fun event for everyone. By pulling together for our school’s biggest
fundraiser, we are telling everyone that education matters, and we, as Sunset
parents, are willing to do our part in providing a great education for our
children.
