On March 9, at The Geraghty in Chicago’s Lower West Side, a new venue for the event, Parker held its bi-annual financial aid fundraising auction. Set against the backdrop of Alice and Wonderland, attendees were indeed “through the looking glass”–the event’s theme–in raising $1.32 million.

With a goal of one million, according to Co-Chair Liz Sheridan, the event went well.  “Even more than that, we had over 100 volunteers who, over the nine months, volunteered in some capacity,” Sherwood said. “We had 130 faculty members join us for that evening, and 750 people in the room total.”

“Alice and Wonderland is obviously in the canon of fabulous children’s literature,” Liz Sherwood, a Co-Chair for the auction, said, “and we thought it was whimsical and fun, but more importantly, it spoke to Parker’s past and a look to Parker’s future.”

This year again there was a live auction and a silent auction, and this year, “the Paddle Raise at the end was really successful,” Nichole Charfoos, a  Co-Chair for the auction, said.  “It was symbolic of giving to the school and how important it is.”

Preparing for the auction was a nine-month undertaking. “We had four great Co-Chairs who began planning in the summer of 2017,” Chuck Lira, Head of Special Events at Parker, said, “and they, along with the Development Office, were very influential in making sure the event was seamless.  Sherwood, Nichole Charfoos, Anne Carroll, and Rose Lizaragga worked tirelessly to put this major fundraiser together, and the challenge each year is to make it fun and interesting and even change it up.”

Since 1970,  the venue had been Navy Pier, but according to Charfoos, The Geraghty, a large event space that was turned into Alice’s own special world, was a better spot.  “It worked better,” Charfoos said. “We were able to have our silent auction adjacent to the dinner, and it was all under one roof, under one space, versus past years.”

“The whole evening was a success,” Lira said, “ and the new space was large, as we were able to split up the room into two spaces.”

There were other changes. “We also changed a program, which, in the the past, was called Fabulous Faculty, and we changed it to Parker Spirit, and we rolled it out in the hallway two weeks before the Auction,” Sherwood said. “It was amazing group experiences that kids could participate in, and all were led by faculty members.”  Communications Director Nick Saracino’s The Nerf Wars sold out within minutes.

Auction items were plentiful. “We had chef experiences where chefs would come into your home and cook a meal for you and your friends,” Sherwood said, “and Lee Wolen, the Boka chef, was a big name that we were excited to get.”

There was a behind-the-scenes Cubs package where you go to the batting cages and see the Cubs’ world.

“There were also some incredible trips, like Africa, the Botswana Safari,” Charfoos said.  “Our silent auction was large and robust, and people seemed to enjoy that as well. It gave people an opportunity to bid on small items.”  

Up for bid were also staycations and wine. While chef dinners or chef-created meals at the restaurants were some of the most desired items, the safari was the single highest live auction earner.

The executing and planning of this event was a community effort, according to Lira.  “In addition to the four Co-Chairs, there were many parent volunteers who helped from the planning stages to the actual event,” Lira said. “Whether they were soliciting gifts and facilitating tables in the front of the school, everyone was all hands on deck–parents, staff, and faculty.”

Sherwood said, “It felt like a really wonderful community event.”