Your help … and your money

Posted on by

From Moira, our indefatigable fundraising chair:

Dear EVCS Parents and Families,

I’m about to ask for your help, and for your money.

But before I do, I want to update you on the phenomenal success of our PA fundraising efforts to date, and to loudly and clearly thank you!

  • With your cash donations and pledges, we have reached our goal for family contributions
  • We also nailed our goal for the Fall Ball
  • We exceeded our goal for the Jubilee and
  • We are on budget, and on target for reaching our year-end goals.

As always, your generosity and engagement are what make this all possible. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Spring Gala — May 4

Now we’re in the homestretch with our biggest fundraising event coming right up, and we need your help on two fronts:

1. Planning committee volunteers

The Spring Gala needs hands! Can we borrow yours? You can help with decor, set up, clean up, food, sound, lights and more. To volunteer, please go to www.signupgenius.com/go/8050F4FAEA92EA31-evcs and select a task. Julie Endich will contact you once you’ve signed up.

2. Solicitation and/or donation of auction items

The Gala silent auction is the centerpiece of the event (with the exception of Bradley’s pole dance, which – rest assured – is on!). It typically raises around $10,000, or roughly 20 percent of the total PA budget … a fair chunk. To achieve this, we need your help soliciting items of value. And, not to be crass, but the higher the value, the better.

Think about your friends and neighbors…
As Kevin Bacon taught us, you are probably no more than six degrees away from some universally adored person, place or thing that could be a hot ticket in the auction. Identify who or what that might be and then, if you feel comfortable asking, go for it!

Think about yourself…
Even better — are you a universally adored person, place or thing? Can you donate an item or service of value? We especially love auction items that come directly from the hands and hearts of our own community members.

Think about The Man…
Would you employ your proven charm and obvious beauty to make a cold solicitation from a corporation or major established business? Many have entire departments set up to deal with these kinds of requests. The Man is literally waiting for your call!

We are open to all your ideas. Here are a few general categories to inspire:

  • Extraordinary Experiences A walk-on in a Broadway show! Barefoot grape stomping in Napa! Survivalist boot camp! A sail on New York Harbor, or any harbor!
  • The Body/Mind Bliss Spa packages! Surf lessons! Meditation retreat! Herbal-remedy immersion (I don’t even know what that is, but it sounds awesome!)
  • Kid Focused Birthday-party packages! A week or two of Lego camp! Sleepover party at a museum! A visit from a magician just for you!
  • Family Friendly Tour of the White House! Yankees tickets (yeah!)! Mets tickets (boo!)! Tickets to Cirque du Soleil!
  • Beauty and Fashion Outrageously priced age-defying face cream! Finely tailored designer togs! Those shoes! Yes, those ones…!
  • Food/Wine Romantic dinner for two! Bottomless ice cream cone! Wine-bar gift certificate! A CSA membership!
  • Services Life coaching sessions! Financial planning! House cleaning! Babysitting gift certificates!

And whatever else you can think of that sounds thrilling and auctionable…

Solicitation Forms
Please see attached letter and donor form, which provide you with all the info you need. If you have questions, email me at events@evcsnyc.org with AUCTION QUESTION in the subject line.

That’s it!
With your friends, your talent, and your willingness to ask total strangers for freebies, the Gala will be a big success and our fundraising year will close out with wins across the board.

Thank you in advance for your help!

Moira Brennan
EVCS PA Fundraising Chair