Donation Primer
How to make a donation
Download a donation form or pick one up in the TNSM lobby. Drop off your item, along with the donation form, in the TNSM lobby, or fill out the form electronically and send it by e-mail to Kathy Collins. Donations will be accepted until February 8th, 2010. Items after this deadline will be accepted on a conditional basis.
Don’t know what to donate?
Scroll down to view item categories as well as examples of donations from years past. But there’s no need to limit yourself to what’s described here! With a little creative thinking, any special interests or talents you have can become an auction item.
Art and Jewelry
We are lucky to have so many professional artists among our supporters and community members: Jim Borgman, Frank Satagota, Helen Adams, Sandy Gross-Hutton, Lisa England Schuster, Alice Allison and our own Robin Hartmann, among others. But don’t be intimidated! Some of the most special items are the pieces created by “amateur” adults and, of course, our kids.
Every year Robin Hartmann works with TNSM students to make a beautiful quilt, intricately decorated furniture, and other interesting projects. If you like working with your hands, take inspiration from our past offerings from parents: pottery with a ginkgo-leaf theme, a beautiful painting of the TNSM play yard, a lavish assortment of handmade jewelry, etc.
Services
Do you have a special interest or ability? Mural painting? Fancy hair braiding? Tarot card reading? Bird watching? Bicycle tune-ups? You can turn your time and talent into dollars for The New School Montessori!
Live-Auction Parties
Among the perennial favorites at the live auction are the fabulous parties and dinners hosted by TNSM parents and staff. We’ve had Greek, Chinese, and Italian dinners; seafood feasts and meals featuring interesting themes or beautiful views. These items go high because groups of auction guests join together to bid in teams, making it more fun and affordable for everyone. These events require a lot of time and effort on the part of the donor, but the payoff in terms of income for the school, community building, great memories, and new friendships is priceless.
Sign-up Parties & Outings
These gatherings are silent-auction items where, depending on the event, spaces are sold per person, per couple, or per family. Some of these sign-ups are unlimited, while others are auctioned on a first-come, first-serve basis. They can be bowling parties for kids, family pool parties, hiking adventures, backyard carnivals, or even elegant grown-up cocktail parties. Other past offerings have included kids’ drama workshops, and group craft classes (e.g. beading, basket making, knitting, crocheting, etc.) for grown-ups or kids.
Hot Tickets
Do you have spare tickets to a popular sporting event? Bengals, Reds, University of Cincinnati, and Xavier tickets—especially for games against important rival teams—always generate a good profit!
Vacation Destinations
Do you have a special family retreat? Consider donating a week, or weekend, so others can enjoy the experience. These donations have traditionally brought in significant proceeds and are very popular.
Join forces to create something really special
Collaborate with a teacher. For example, help a teacher taking kids on an outing, by offering to drive, pay any admission fees, pack a special lunch feast, or create a photo album memento. Or get together with other parents and donate as a group a progressive dinner with other parents from your neighborhood.
And many more options, both big and small
Your Auction donation doesn’t need to be costly to make a valuable contribution. Some of the most popular items cost the donor nothing but a little time and energy! Think of an evening of baby-sitting! Couple that with a restaurant gift certificate and movie tickets and you’ve got a night on the town that will be really tempting to harried parents!
Other ways to contribute to the auction
Donate a piece of furniture for the kids to paint. Save large baskets that can be used to package like items for the silent auction. Underwrite a portion of the Auction expenses.
Volunteer! Contact Ann Baumgardner if you have an interest in planning and would like to serve on an auction subcommittee or if you'd like to help with auction set up on auction day. Both adult and alum volunteers are welcome.
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