Elementary school parents to host gala

It may turn out to be Sisters' event of the year.

Parents who are members of the elementary school's Sisters Parent Teacher Community (SPTC) are hosting a major fund-raiser: the "Gold & Green Gala," so-named to invoke the luck of the Irish.

The gala is slated for Saturday, March 15, at FivePine Conference Center. Funds will be raised to benefit the elementary school through both silent and live auctions.

The event kicked off Thursday morning, February 28, with the unveiling of the art projects each class at the elementary school has created in secret for the gala's live auction.

"Every student in the classroom participated in the art projects. We've got some pretty artistic things. One classroom did all of the Chinese characters in this great big picture frame. We have quilts that have been made to ceramic platters," said gala coordinator Melanie Patterson, who has two children at the school.

SPTC has a long history of funding programs at the elementary school.

"It was really amazing for me coming in as a new person to see the money that SPTC gives to fund so many of the school's programs. We do the artists in residency, the OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry) assemblies, the Art Literacy program. We give annual grants to the teachers for supplies and educational things that the teachers would like in their classrooms that are not funded by the district," Patterson said.

The gala was the brain child of former elementary school parent Judy Vial as a means of raising funds for the school without having students solicit from door-to-door.

"We want to get away from the kids doing door-to-door selling and marketing of unnecessary items. We're trying to procure this gala as an annual event that will be the event fund-raiser of the year," said Patterson. "With this event we're trying to change the format so the kids aren't soliciting. We understand that there's a lot of time constraints and efforts on the parents, a lot of hits on their pocket books and their time."

According to Patterson, another goal of parent organizers is to instill a sense of community and build friendships within the elementary school.

"Creating an event for parents to meet parents and for the community to support the school is important," she said.

Some 20 silent auction items will be created by pairing interesting activities such as overnight stays with breakfast and/or dinner.

"We're putting these nice packages together with things to auction in the $50 range, the $100 range, different increments like that," said Patterson.

In addition to the student art projects, live auction items include a trip for two to Ireland to tie into the gala's Irish theme, a trip to Disneyland, a child's orthodontic treatment with a value of $5,800 from Bend's Dr. David Gobeille and a "Fat and Happy Tour" that includes limo service from Sisters to the McMinnville Air Museum to see the fattest plane ever made followed by a tour of various area wineries.

The gala will start with a no-host cocktail hour at 5 p.m. The silent auction, dinner and dancing will follow, with the live auction rounding out the spectacle. "Cool DJ Dave" (Wilkins) of Star Productions will provide the sounds, and dress is semi-formal. A slide show featuring elementary school students and their activities will illustrate how SPTC uses its money at the school. Tickets are $35; inexpensive yet experienced babysitting will also be available.