AUBURN - More than 30 neatly packaged baskets sat in the St. Joseph School gymnasium on East Genesee Street Saturday morning surrounded by people poking, touching and marveling at the items inside.
People purchased raffle tickets, in some cases many tickets, in hopes of winning one of the themed baskets that school volunteers packaged together.
The baskets are the largest money-maker at the St. Joseph School Spring Bazaar each year, said Wendy LaDuca, one parent who helped put all the baskets together.
Saturday, the school held its annual bazaar, with the goal of providing a fun day for families as well as to raise money for the school's budget.
Most of the bazaar is run on donations and the event usually raises between $3,000 and $4,000, said school principal Kathleen Coye. Parents of children in the school run the entire four-hour bazaar.
“The money helps with general expenses to the school budget,” Coye said. “And it's a fun event that brings the community together.”
This year's baskets covered themes such as books, Easter, car wash, home repair and movies.
LaDuca, raffle organizer, said this year she and other volunteers asked each classroom to select a theme and put together a basket to be raffled off during the bazaar.
With more than 30 baskets, the response was overwhelming, she said.
But aside from the raffle, the gymnasium and basement of the school were filled with activities for both children and adults.
In the school basement, St. Joseph seventh-graders ran the ice cream station where people could purchase a bowl of ice cream with toppings for $2.
Children continuously ran up to parents begging for more change to pay for the various games, including balloon popping, ring-toss and a baked-good style roulette game. Children could also enjoy the upstairs craft area or have a volunteer braid their hair for $1.
Brady Reed and Jason Fowler staffed the games area, handing out tickets to children who won so they could claim their prizes.
“We wanted to help out. It has been fun,” Reed said.
Meanwhile, parents perused the jewelry station or one of five specialty booths selling home products like kitchenware and clay pots.
“I love watching it all come together,” Coye said.
Staff writer Kristina Martino can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 238 or kristina.martino@lee.net
The baskets are the largest money-maker at the St. Joseph School Spring Bazaar each year, said Wendy LaDuca, one parent who helped put all the baskets together.
Saturday, the school held its annual bazaar, with the goal of providing a fun day for families as well as to raise money for the school's budget.
Most of the bazaar is run on donations and the event usually raises between $3,000 and $4,000, said school principal Kathleen Coye. Parents of children in the school run the entire four-hour bazaar.
“The money helps with general expenses to the school budget,” Coye said. “And it's a fun event that brings the community together.”
This year's baskets covered themes such as books, Easter, car wash, home repair and movies.
LaDuca, raffle organizer, said this year she and other volunteers asked each classroom to select a theme and put together a basket to be raffled off during the bazaar.
With more than 30 baskets, the response was overwhelming, she said.
But aside from the raffle, the gymnasium and basement of the school were filled with activities for both children and adults.
In the school basement, St. Joseph seventh-graders ran the ice cream station where people could purchase a bowl of ice cream with toppings for $2.
Children continuously ran up to parents begging for more change to pay for the various games, including balloon popping, ring-toss and a baked-good style roulette game. Children could also enjoy the upstairs craft area or have a volunteer braid their hair for $1.
Brady Reed and Jason Fowler staffed the games area, handing out tickets to children who won so they could claim their prizes.
“We wanted to help out. It has been fun,” Reed said.
Meanwhile, parents perused the jewelry station or one of five specialty booths selling home products like kitchenware and clay pots.
“I love watching it all come together,” Coye said.
Staff writer Kristina Martino can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 238 or kristina.martino@lee.net
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