Keep a Watch Out

Stacey Schiager and Tara Campbell have a few items left over from the auction that we'll put up for bid. Were still figuring out the details, but watch the blog, eNews or backpacks for information on how to get an opportunity to bid.

Auction Results 2009

Auction has earned nearly $41,000!

The Gala was once again very successful! We had a great night if mingling, bidding, dancing but most important a night of giving. Here are some of the big earners from the night:

• $1445 Cakes
• $3080 Photos
• $3421 Class Treasures
• $10,270 Live Auction
  

Another earning highlight was Fund A Need, which is part of Live Auction where people make cash donations. We received everything from $500 to $25. Our guests donated over $5k!!! You know it's a great school and community when you look over and see our teachers donating too! Simply an amazing night!

Thanks to everyone for your help and making the Gala yet another success! Thanks to the Auction Team, Donors, Volunteers, PHE Parents & Staff, and Sequoia Elementary for all your help creating and running this event. And, a huge thanks to Parents, Staff, Family and Friends of PHE that attend the auction and spent money!

Photo Board - Thanks to Laura Cottril

Teachers

The RoomMingling
Dancing the Night Away

Preview Day

Yesterday was your chance to get an early peak at class projects and what our student artisans created for the auction.

Bohner's Class Project - Word Art

Patterson Class ProjectBryan Class Project

Doll house by Anne Winterich. She's invested loads of loving time into this project. Just a few more touches need to be done before Saturday.

Preview Day

Here's a sampling of what some of student artisans have done:

Live Auction List

Here's what you can find in LIVE this year:

1. Giants Baseball Tickets
2. Contra Costa Country Club Golf for Four & Cart
3. An Evening Out with Matt Nathanson - Concert Package
4. Private Tasting for 10 at Wine Thieves
5. Claremont Spa Renewal Getaway Package for Two
6. Bidders Choice of Art
   
7. Jamaica Me Crazy, mon! Dinner Party for 10
8. Hidden Valley Lake House - Two Nights/Three Days
9. Principal for a Day
10. Six Hour Napa Wine Tour
11. Bass Lake House - Three Night/Four Day
12. Kid Trip 12...Kids vs. Wild - Family Camping Trip
13. Hiking and Hamburgers with Sitka and Mrs. Voris
14. Naughty Basket

and....we've slipped in a surprise item...but we're not giving any hints! You'll just have to come to find out.

Class Basket & Project Preview - ONE DAY ONLY

It worked so well last year, that again this year we will have an early preview day of class projects/baskets. You will be able to catch a first glimpse at what our creative classes have pulled together! Both children and adults welcome! Please take the time to stop in and admire the hard work of our PHE parents and students. As well it will be the last chance to buy Gala tickets (if any are left) and to buy raffle tickets. Our raffles are a Flat Screen TV and “Instant Wine Cellar.” No need to be present at the auction to win.

When: Tuesday Mar 17th
Where: MU Room
Time: 2-6pm

Absentee Bidder Forms will be available for class projects & baskets on preview day ONLY.

The way it works:

1. Fill out the Absentee Bidder Form completely with your highest possible bid (incomplete forms will be denied.)
2. The auction team will use your Absentee Bidder Form to try and purchase your selected item(s) for the lowest possible price, taking into account other bids.
3. If identical bids are left, the auction team will give precedence to the first one received.
4. All successful bids are subject to the terms and Auction Rules printed in the front of each program.
5. You will be notified the following week if you were a lucky winner! Arrangements will be made for you to pick up your item(s).

Nicosia Class Project - Circular Serendipity 1 & 2

You can see these in person tomorrow Tuesday the 17th, in the MU room from 2-6pm. Please visit the auction Preview Day. Our parents and students have worked very hard to create wonderful items for our Spring Gala. Thanks to Debbie Shess for implementing this project!

Hiking and Hamburgers with Sitka and Mrs. Voris

Just in....Sitka (Mrs Voris' dog) and Mrs. Voris will be your guide on a 1 to 3 hour moderate hike in the beautiful Open Space of the Mt. Tamalpias Watershed. After a few hours in the open air, enjoy a picnic with homemade hamburgers and all the fixings. Sitka will promise to eat your leftovers!

What You Need: Walking Shoes, Layered Clothing, Water, Your Appetite.
Date of Hike: Saturday, April 4, 2009, or alternative date: Saturday, May 2

All snacks and food will be provided to the members of your family. Vegetarian options will be provided upon request.

Strum Class Project

Thanks to Jana Vinogradov for this class project! Super cute!

Kids vs. Wild - Family Camping Trip (LIVE Auction)

The third year running...Stokes Family Camping Trip is once again a hot LIVE auction item. Whether you like to camp or not this is the trip for you. Last year's theme was Wacky Olympics...this year Kids vs. Wild. Many PHE families attend as well as new friends to meet. See program for more details and picture board displayed at the Gala. Dates July 23-26.

What’s included:

• Pinecrest camping location/site
• Tent (if you need it)
• Fri night dinner & adult beverages
• Sat night catered dinner & adult beverages
• Breakfast Saturday & Sunday
• Smores at the campfire
• Disposable plates, cups, napkins & flatware (for everyone at camp)
• Friday morning mountain bike ride (adults only or very experienced teen)
• Friday night happy-hour for the ladies
• Lots of games, activities, beach fun, campfires, night parade, movie night, dance night & much more fun
• Pay showers down at the store or typically an outdoor shower set up at camp

What do you need to bring:

• Tent, sleeping bags
• Folding chairs for your family
• Snacks, drinks, coffee, tea, lunch (there’s a burger shack at the lake)
• Personal items, such as clothes, toiletries
• Beach gear

Here's what last year's winner Katheryn Lindenauer had to say:
"We were the lucky winners of the Pinecrest family camping trip from last year’s Spring Gala auction. We heard from our good friends how much fun it was, so we decided to bid. Our experience exceeded our expectations. We are a family of five and not experienced campers. Getting our tent (Ron called it the ‘taj mahal’!) was a feat in and of itself. Fortunately there were many people willing to help us out. Once we got settled, and after laughing at ourselves, things just got better and better. There was something for everyone. Here are some of the highlights:

• My little shy 5 year old throwing caution to the wind during family dance night. He was a sight to see!
• The girls making new friends, both big and little. Some of their favorite things: playing on the raft in the lake, competing at the Olympic games, free time to just climb rocks and explore with new and old friends.
• For Jim: the best technical downhill mountain bike ride ever! He loves a challenge.
• For me: watching the crazy dads race inner tubes on the lake… I don’t remember laughing so much for so long. I also had the perfect bike ride and enjoyed sharing mai tais with new friends.

My new friend, Otis, said it best, “This is better than Disneyland!” Overall, we had a really fun time and were impressed at how organized Ron and Lori were in the planning and execution of the whole trip from meals, games, activities... there was never a dull moment."

stokes family

beach fun

wacky olympic games

dad's tube race

sat night catered dinner

Bass Lake Home - LIVE Auction Item

The first of many live items to come!

Nestled in the mountains near Yosemite is this wonderful family cabin on beautiful Bass Lake. Plenty to do any time of year hiking, swimming, snow skiing, water sports, boating, fishing, and just plain relaxing just to name a few. Just a quick three hour drive from the bay area you’ll find yourself enjoying a little piece of heaven in the Sierra’s. Enjoy this cabin for 3 nights & 4 days.

This is a spacious cabin with six bedrooms (sleeps 12) plus an additional sleeping porch which sleeps four more, three full baths, a fully stocked kitchen, wireless internet access, BBQ, TV/DVD and the most gorgeous views off the deck. Get a group of family or friends and go in on this fabulous getaway weekend. September is the best month of all, the weather is still hot, the water is still warm and there are no crowds. If snow is your thing, use it in the winter and enjoy the alpine elements of the Sierras. Cannot be used during high season of mid-June through mid August. Check out the property and it's amenities online.

Scott Class Project

Abramsom Class Project

Hotter Class Basket - DATE NIGHT!!!

It's been decided....it's so good it has to go into LIVE Auction!

Need a night out? This class basket includes the time of your life... you will laugh, cry, sing and shake your hips... This is the Matt Nathanson/Jack Mannequin night out! If you are lucky enough to get this basket you will receive 2 tickets to the Matt Nathanson/Jack Mannequin Concert at the Warfield on April 7th. You will also receive a gift card to Nordstrom to buy that special something for the evening, an additional gift card to Pasta Pomodoro for dinner before the show and two BART tickets to get to the show safely.

A quick bio on Matt Nathanson...He is a local guy gone big. He most recent release is "Some Mad Hope" his 10th record. Lets just say Matt is the hardest working guy in the music business...He has been writing songs and performing for over 20 years and his recent success has catapulted him into the spotlight. In the last few months he has been on Good Morning America, David Letterman as well the Ellen show. He is a current "you oughta know artist" on VH1 and has spent several weeks in their top 20. You have probably heard his music on any of number of TV shows from Private Practice to One Tree Hill. His current hit "come on get higher" is really sparked the attention of the mainstream public including other
major artists Like Sugarland....They cover the song on their latest record. He will be performing with Sugarland this summer on their arena tour.

Matt is without a doubt one of the best live shows you will ever see. He is not only a great musician he is a phenomenal entertainer. Matt has personally donated to this auction the 2 tickets, 2 t-shirts, 1 sweatshirt, a signed copy of his latest record as well as a signed poster. The basket is worth over $350...so take advantage of this and bid...it will be well worth your investment into our great PHE!

Thank you to Amy Samrick for coordinating this basket!

Raffle Tickets - 2009 Gala

How can I buy raffle tickets???

• Fri, March 13th before school - find Carrie Wallahan walking around school selling tickets
• Fri, March 13th after school - in front of MU
• Tue, Mar 17th, Preview Day, MU 2-6pm
• Contact Stacey Schiager at 938.6221, or email at 4schiager@comcast.net
• AT THE AUCTION on Mar 21st!
  

BLUE Raffle Tickets - $5 each
Insignia® - 26" 720p Widescreen Flat-Panel LCD HDTV, $430 value

WHITE Raffle Tickets - $20 each
“Instant Wine Cellar”: Stock up with over 50 bottles of wine from Wine Thieves and the cellars of our PHE Parents!

You need not be present to win!

The winning raffle tickets will be drawn at the Gala on March 21, 2009. If you buy or sell tickets: fill out the back portion of the ticket, return the ticket(s) & money to the office and drop off in the Spring Gala Box.

Jamaican Me Crazy, mon! - LIVE Auction

Head to Montego Bay for a night of reggae and rum. You and nine of your friends will be "transported" to Jamaica for a night of steel drums, jerk chicken, coconut shrimp, red stripe beer and Caribbean cocktails.

Boat leaves for the island at 5:30pm on Saturday, June 27. See you in Jamaica.

Hosted by Steve & Melissa Oldenbourg. You and your friends won't want to miss this dinner party at the Oldenbourg's house! Get ready to bid, bid, bid during the LIVE Auctionfor this must have dinner party.

Last Year's dinner...Back to Bourbon Street...authentic crawfish boil with jazz band to boot. A legendary event!

Summer Camps and Pools

We all look for things our kids can do in the summer. Here is a sampling of camps and swim clubs you will find at the auction. The program will have more details.

CAMPS
Galileo
Roughing It Day Camp
Saint Mary's Athletic Summer Camps
California Adventure Camp

SWIM CLUBS
Buena Vista Swim Club
Larkey Private Swim Club

One Month of CoreQuest Fitness Bootcamp

Women and men of all fitness levels, sizes and ages are gaining great results with Contra Costa Boot Camp! You can too! Are you looking for a jump-start to your fitness program? Then this adventure is for you! Get it at the Auction!

Whether you are a beginner, an avid fitness enthusiast or just tired of the same routine come try this whole new approach to exercise...fun! Contra Costa Boot Camp is an outdoor fitness program that offers fitness instruction, nutritional counseling and motivational training - packed with fun and energizing activities designed to help you reach your fitness goals. Women only and Coed classes are available. Don't get stuck in a gym paying lots of money, achieving little results and dreading the work-outs. Come outdoors with us for a fraction of the price, and guaranteed success.

Bass Lake Home

Grab the family, friends and your boat for a stay at this Bass Lake home with private marina, 4 bedrooms, 2 baths and sleeping porch. Includes all the amenities: local phone access, wireless internet, air conditioning, satellite TV, VCR, washer & dryer, microwave, 2 refrigerators, large decks with gas and charcoal BBQs. Follow this link for pictures and details.

Zagone Class Project - Toy Chest

Toy chest/blanket box lovingly built and painted by the Hibel family (37.5"W x 17.5"D x 22.5" H). Check it out in person at the Preview Day, Tuesday Mar 17 in the MU room 2-6:30pm.

Notes: 1) photo may appear minty but the color tends to be a yellow green. The color looks great with Pottery Barn Kids current color palette. 2) Chris (Sophia's mom) has offered to help find a boy and girl color cushion for the top. Buyer will have a choice at the auction.

Waters Class Project - Poppies

Denise Nash worked with the 3rd graders in Mrs. Waters class to create this original art piece on canvas. An interesting technique using tissue paper and wax. It's propped up on top of my buffet and looks great...will I be able to part with it???

You can see this at the auction or on preview day Tuesday, 3/17 in the MU room from 2-6pm.

Auction Sign-up Parties

Belgian Beer Vs. America’s Belgian Style Beer
Join us for an evening of FUN and GREAT BEERS as we sample 8 different kinds of Beer. Ever heard of Russian River or Jolly Pumpkin? We’ll taste samples from these American brewers and others to see how their Belgian Style beers compare with World Famous Belgian beers like Itchegems Grand Cru, Valdiu Triple and more! If you enjoy a good brew and great company we hope you’ll be able to make this.
DATE: Saturday, June 13, 7:30pm




Flip Flops & Lemon Drops
Get out with the girls and relax! This party will provide up to 35 ladies with a great way to kick off Summer. Enjoy sipping luscious lemon drop cocktails and noshing on fresh, seasonal fare while you lounge in a beautiful backyard setting. Lively music, a telling trivia game and plenty of girly bonding are in store. You are welcome to buy tickets for a friend, sister or neighbor. This event isn't limited to just the ladies. So slip on your comfy flip flops, cute capris or sassy sundress and join us for this ladies' soiree!
DATE: Saturday, May 30th 6:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.



SF Pub Crawl - Back by popular demand!!! Hit the local San Francisco pub's with old and new friends from PHE. Enjoy touring SF in an open top double-decker which will transport you pub to pub. This will be a sign-up event at the auction. You are welcome to buy as many spots as you would like. There will be 70 spots up for grabs. Donor: http://www.travelsf.com/
DATE: Friday, June 19th 7p.m. - 11:00p.m.

Kameya Class Project - Bracelets

Hand Crafted Cultured Pearl and Colored Stone Bead Bracelet by Mrs. Kameya's 2nd graders.

Each bracelet was hand made by Mrs. Kameya's 2nd graders and is comprised of fresh water cultured pearls and either natural amethyst, citrine or garnet beads. Each has a hand made "Shrinky Dink" heart attached with a sterling silver split ring.

You can see these in person at Preview Day Tuesday, March 17th in the MU from 2-6:30pm.

Ouye Class Project - Monet Creation

Monet another artist studied this year in FAME was the inspiration for the class art project in Ouye's 3rd grade class. Kathleen Olsen divided a Monet print into equal squares, gave each student a square and then each student recreated their square in oil pastels.

It took about 3-4 sessions for the kids to work on the squares but it paid off. The resembled art piece is amazing. The colors & blending are so well done it's hard to believe 3rd graders did it!

As always, it's even better in person. You can see it in person on Preview Day Tuesday 3/17 or at the auction on Saturday, 3/21.

Note: "Gala" is not on the original just our digital file.

Original Painting - Red Daisies

We are very fortunate to receive this piece of original art work by PHE parent and artist Thanh Kemp. Add a splash of color and fun to your walls with this original one of a kind painting. Acrylic on canvas. Wait until you see it in person!

Peek...new portable device

Watch for this at the auction...

Peek is a mobile device devoted to email and texting. Perfect for a non-technical person but allows them to have email & texting access. Ideal for the Grandma who doesn't want a computer but would like access to email.

The company also put a little micro-site up this week that shows how much $ Peek can save over data/texting plans offered by the major carriers.

Mechanics Bank donates $250!

A big thank you to Mechanics Bank!!! They are donating $250 to the Gala. Mechanics Bank in the Lundarie's store has provided the PHEEF with a great local banking service for years. We thank you for giving back to PHE!

Graham Classroom Project - 32 Monkeys

We hope to be posting more and more classroom projects as they come in. Check out "32 Monkeys" an art piece from Graham's 5th grade class. Thanks to Sharon Kurk for putting this together and working with the kids!

This art piece has been inspired by the most current artist the kids have been studying in FAME. Chinese artist, Wang Yani, was born in 1975 and started painting at a very young age. By the time she was three years old, Yani had already created paintings in the bold, dynamic style that would characterize all her work. By age six, Yani had completed over four thousand paintings. In 1989, she achieved something truly unheard of in the art world: at just fourteen years of age, she became the youngest person ever to have a oneperson show at the famous Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. Her exhibition was called “Yani: The Brush of Innocence.” Very inspiring for our kids!