Bidders at the "Dutch Auction" at Food for Thought 2011. Photo courtesy of Michael Chesher
Updated May 23 at 8 a.m.
Food for Thought Banquet and Auction, sponsored by the Orcas Island Education Foundation (OIEF) on May 19 was again a lively, entertaining fundraiser for the Orcas public schools. The evening included a “Dutch Auction” that started at the top and then allowed multiple bidders to pledge a lower price. Pictured above are those who pledged at a “less than $1,000” amount to support the Foundation and the public schools.
Guests roamed the Discovery House overlooking Rosario waters, bidding on the special eggs that were uniquely decorated by local artists to depict a pair of shoes, to a box of Japaneses proverbs and other creations. Guests also bid on donated items to benefit the School Arts Committee and the Farm to Cafeteria Committee.
The “moveable feast” featured local chefs Christina Orchid and Geddes Martin of Ship Bay Inn, Bobby Olmstead’s desserts and prize dishes prepared by this year’s Student Chef Competition winners:
- Sayde Larson’s Chicken Caesar Wraps
- Ray Doss’ Barbecue Southern Pork Sliders
- Millie Kau and Arla Sutton’s spring wrap rolls
- Keenan O’Brien’s Chicken/Bean Chile
The significant contributions of the Student Chefs’ parents and families were acknowledged by Emcee and OIEF President Janet Brownell, who was assisted in her duties by Kyle Freeman, Orcas Elementary/Middle School Principal.
During the live auction Emcees Brownell and Freeman made the most of the crowd’s spring fever to gin up bidding wars over specially decorated eggs created by David Densmore, Dwight Duke, Shawna Franklin, Brook Meinhart, Todd Spalti, and Steve Wesen. The Magna Saurus dinosaur sculpture and eggs created by Corey Wiscomb’s High School Art Class was won in the auction by Andrea Cohen, Arts Committee director.
Principal and Emcee Freeman read some quotes from students at Orcas Island District schools, ranging from the funny to the poignant. Some of the student remarks were:
- “It’s a place where we learn things like “transparent” and “viscuous”
- “You know everybody, you can say ‘hi’ to anyone”
- “I like the art and dancing we had at the Orcas Center. All our art projects looked like a real museum when I walked in.”
Members of the Orcas High School service group, Key Club, assisted in the dinner preparation, serving, childcare and cleanup.
The date for the Food for Thought annual fundraising event was changed from November to May; Janet Brownell thanked “those of you who slogged it out in storms, snow and power outages” in years’ past. She also thanked YMCA Camp Orkila, who has hosted the event in previous years, and Christopher Peacock of Rosario Resort, for making Discovery House available to the OIEF this year.
Board members Kim Freeman, Terri Gilliland, Madie Murray, Michelle Reed, Barb Skotte and Susan Stoltz were on hand and behind the scenes, assisting with the evening’s events. Elementary parent April Pollock decorated the Discovery House.
To see more photos of the evening by student photographer Michael Chesher, go to: https://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/sharing/share-_-Sharee
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I would like to add that parent, and school board member, Chris Sutton, created and set-up an innovative software program utilizing iPads that revolutionized OIEF’s and their guest’s experience checking-in and checking-out of the auction, for which the OIEF Board is deeply grateful.