St. Mary’s Academy auction marks 50th year

“Back then, the school was in real danger of closing, so they had to come up with something,” he said.

“It was a very small group that started everything,” Koch said. “But my mom and dad were the first chairs.”

Men from the Knights of Columbus, a group at the Catholic Church, cooked a barbecue, and women from the Altar Society also cooked, Koch said. “They made almost $7,000 that first year, which was huge. And then it kind of snowballed,” he said. “It was more than enough to save them and they thought, ‘Oh wow, this is a great idea.’ And now everybody copies them.”

Over the years, the auction has undergone many changes. Wendy Palmer, development director at St. Mary’s Academy, explained that the earlier auctions didn’t always have a specific theme, but eventually, themes with matching decorations were introduced. Five years ago, the school started aligning the auction themes with its mission, and three years ago, this evolved into a year-long school theme that includes the auction. This year, the school’s theme is “Blessed Beyond Measure,” with a focus on timelines, celebrating the milestones and growth the school has experienced over the years.

Previously, St. Mary’s also held a separate family auction, but it has since been streamlined into one annual fundraising gala. The event, once known as the Super Auction, was rebranded to focus more on its fundraising mission.

This year, “we are encouraging formal attire” Palmer said, “as we toast to five decades.” The first auction chair, Clarice Jester, will be in attendance at the auction and her son, Brian Koch, will make a toast to start off the auction.

Tickets are $55 each and can be purchased at the school, at 1112 Cherry Heights Road, or online at smad.ejoinme.org/sma50. Attendees can also buy a commemorative 50th anniversary wine glass for $10. Doors open for the event at 6 p.m. Dinner will be bacon-wrapped steak, chicken cordon bleu, garlic mashed potatoes, asparagus, salad and rolls provided by Jim Olheiser of Cowboy’s Catering.

A new addition this year is a Dessert Dash. Each of the 20 tables at the auction will be asked to donate money to purchase a dessert for their table of 10. The highest-contributing table gets the first pick, followed by the second and third. After that, tables will be released in groups of five to dash to the dessert table for their selection, Palmer said.

Other aspects of the event will remain the same, including a Silent Auction featuring items available for bidding online from Monday through Friday leading up to the event. Big-ticket items, such as group dinners, will be auctioned live. The auctioneer for the evening will be Shawn Wilkinson of Auction Sales Co.

Student art projects will be available for purchase during the gala, with some offered in the live auction and others in a smaller Silent Auction known as the “Almost Live” auction.

A raffle will also take place, with the grand prize being a trip to the Korbel Champagne Cellars in Sonoma County, California. Raffle tickets are $5 each, with a maximum of 4,000 tickets available for sale.

As St. Mary’s Academy celebrates its 50th fundraising auction, Palmer reflected on the critical role the community has played in keeping the school’s mission alive. “The continued support of our community has been essential in keeping tuition affordable for all our students,” she said.

“Thanks to their generosity, we’ve been able to provide an exceptional education and ensure that St. Mary’s remains a vibrant part of this community. We’re excited to celebrate this milestone and look forward to many more years of success.”