Auction Day 2: Teacher Experiences!

One of the long-standing traditions of the Cherry Crest Auction has been the group experiences that are donated by our children’s teachers. Teacher experiences allow a few lucky students to enjoy a fun activity with their teacher in a small group setting. Given the abrupt ending of our school year, teacher experiences are sure to be particularly meaningful and memorable when we can finally reconvene! Click on the buttons below to be taken directly to the teacher experiences for your child’s grade in the online auction catalog and give your child the gift of more time with their 2019-2020 teacher!

Of course, don’t take our word for how special these events are! Click on the video below to hear from two Cherry Crest 4th Grade teachers about what experience they are offering and why they look forward to this event every year.

Royalty free music from https://www.fesliyanstudios.com

Auction Day 2: Parties Open at Noon!

Welcome to Day 2 of the Cherry Crest Auction!
In auction news today, we highlight the fabulous Community Events category, which are open for sign-ups as of now (12pm Wednesday)! Whether it’s a themed soiree hosted in a private home or a luxury suite at a sporting event, these parties and events generously donated by your fellow Cherry Crest parents are consistently among the hottest-selling items. Most of these events have limited availability at a fixed price to the first people to sign up, so nudge the friends that you wish to join you and get your name in there now!

But wait! Before you go, please take a moment to hear a message from our trusty auctioneer Matt Lorch, who will  tell you a bit more about some of the items you can expect to see there!

“Hi there, I’m Matt Lorch, news anchor and reporter at Q13 news in Seattle and your auctioneer for the Cherry Crest online auction. As I mentioned once before, I attended this amazing school Kindergarten through sixth grade. It is such a remarkable community! And right now you can go to the online auction and sign up for some of our really exciting and fun community events that we can take part in once we can gather together once again. There are tons of parties hosted by Cherry Crest parents – a great way to meet up with old friends and make some new ones. There’s “A Taste of Persia” which will take you on a journey through Iran’s culinary landscape, a luxury suite at Emerald Downs race track, that looks like a blast. There’s a Kids Acrylic Pour Party where students make a masterpiece while parents mingle and have fun. These events opened at noon, many with limited availability. So don’t waste a moment. Clicking and reserving your spot. Many of these experiences are some of the most sought after items at the auction every year. You know, just by taking part you are supporting the Cherry Crest PTSA and your child’s education. Think about this, you’re going to have so much fun, while becoming the parent of the year. So sign up, and bid away.”

A Catalog Tip and Message from our Principal

Have you “favorited” any auction items yet? To favorite, select the heart ♥ associated with any catalog item of interest. Then to quickly see only those items, select the “My Favorites ♥” button from the search and filter menu. If you haven’t yet explored the catalog, tomorrow is a particularly important day as the Community Events category opens for bidding at noon. These are some of the most hotly-contested items each year because they are a ton of fun and in limited supply!  Now, more than ever, we are all craving social and community connection and these events will be a treat to look forward to when we are able to gather once again. So take a peek at those items now, line up any friends that you would like to join you, “♥” the ones you want, and prepare to grab your spot tomorrow at noon sharp!

But before you go, please enjoy the video welcome message from our fearless leader, Principal Dusty Steere.

Royalty free music from https://www.fesliyanstudios.com

“Hello Families, my name is Dusty Steere, and I’m privileged to serve as the principal of Cherry Crest Elementary school. This year marks the 50th anniversary of our great school and with spring comes the time-honored tradition of our annual auction supporting staff and programs that allow each and every child to learn and thrive as creators of their future world. Unfortunately, given the circumstances of COVID19 we’re not able to be together for this year’s auction. In fact, schools across the state have been closed for over a month now. But even as the school house doors are closed, the incredible work of educating our children continues, with more energy and dedication than ever. I’m proud of the outstanding efforts that Cherry Crest teachers and staff are making to provide relevant and accessible learning experiences for students. And I’m particularly grateful for the sacrifice and service that you families are making to partner with us educators during these challenging times. Over the next few days, our auction chairs will present families with opportunities to bid on various items all supporting the enhancement of curriculum and educational experiences for our kids. Now more than ever, our collaborative partnership with Cherry Crest PTSA is needed to help our school and educators innovate at levels never seen before. And I want to thank you in advance for your generous participation in this online auction as part of the great cherry crest community. Thank you!”

Online Auction Kicks Off Today

This is the day we’ve been waiting for!

The auction is OPEN for business! If you haven’t yet registered, don’t waste another second! Sign up (it’s free and you’ll still be entered into a drawing for a $50 Mercurys Coffee gift card!), browse the amazing items on offer in the online catalog, and start your bidding! Well, actually, before doing that, we encourage you to take a moment to meet our energetic auctioneer, Matt Lorch – local news anchor and longtime friend of Cherry Crest – in his welcome message below.

You will hear from Matt each day this week, as he directs your attention towards a particular category of item up for auction. Another reason to look forward to each day’s Auction Newsletter is that we will also be sharing personal messages with you from beloved members of the Cherry Crest community. Make sure to grab your kids when you watch these videos as they are sure to enjoy seeing and hearing from these familiar and dearly-missed faces and voices that make Cherry Crest such a special place to go to school. 

We look forward to keeping you up to date throughout the week!

Your 2020 Auction Chairs,
Ksenia, Greg, and Amy

“Hi there, I’m Matt Lorch, news anchor and reporter at Q13 News in Seattle and I am so incredibly honored to be your auctioneer for the Cherry Crest online auction. I know, we all wanted to be dressed up like this gathering in a big ballroom in downtown Bellevue. Unfortunately because of the outbreak and the stay home order we are not allowed to gather right now so we are moving this auction online. I think as we all have paused and taken a moment we also realize at this time when we are trying to teach our kids at home along with the help of our teachers how amazing and dedicated our teachers are here at Cherry Crest. This is a remarkable school and I know how amazing it is because I attended Cherry Crest -kindergarten through 6th grade. That’s me around 1980. Okay, any chance you recognize that kid next to me? That is Greg Richards, who was one of my closest friends. Now he’s a Cherry Crest parent. We still talk about it to this day. Our best memories growing up were made at Cherry Crest. And it gave us a foundation for success. What made it so special was the support of the community and the parents. Here’s your chance to be those parents. Click on the link provided, take part in our online auction, raise your paddle from home and sign up for some remarkable community experiences that will bring us together when we are able to get back together. Also throughout this week you’re going to hear from beloved members or the Cherry Crest community and I’m going to join you every day with updates about the online auction. It will close Saturday night, but don’t wait. Now’s the time to get in on the fun and support our kids and their remarkable educational experience here at Cherry Crest. So I’ll be seeing you in the days to come. In the meantime, thank you for supporting the Cherry Crest PTSA.”

Auction Kickoff

Hello Cherry Crest Friends and Families! 

Welcome to the kickoff of the 2020 Cherry Crest Auction! We are excited to announce that our brand new online-only auction is open for registration, with bidding beginning this coming Tuesday, April 21st. By signing up today, you can browse the catalog to see many of the amazing items we will have available to bid on when the (virtual) doors open! Registration is 100% free and every person who signs up will be entered into a drawing to win a $50 Mercurys Coffee gift card. Make sure to click on the video below to hear a brief welcome message from local celebrity and Cherry Crest alum Matt Lorch, and don’t forget to register today!

Your 2020 Auction Chairs,

Greg, Ksenia and Amy

“Hi there I’m Matt Lorch. I’m a news anchor at Q13 News in Seattle. You probably know that every year Cherry Crest comes together to host a fundraising auction to support our PTSA and this year we were going to throw you a HUGE party at the Hilton in downtown Bellevue because this is a really big year – this is the 50th Anniversary of this remarkable school. I know how amazing it is because I attended Cherry Crest from Kindergarten through Sixth Grade, and I was going to serve as your auctioneer. Unfortunately because of coronavirus we can’t gather right now and we actually considered cancelling the auction, and then we realized, “you know what?”, now more than ever it is so important we come together and support this community. And we decided to move the Cherry Crest magic online. So the auction is still on! Now, we can’t offer you the same, fun, live party, but we can still come together to show our support for this school and this community that we love. Things officially kick off next Tuesday April 21st, but don’t wait. Go to the auction site right now, sign up, check out some of the fabulous items and remarkable experiences. I’m going to be joining you next week with updates every day about things as they open up on the auction. This is going to be really exciting as we move it online. So don’t wait, go sign up now, and we will see you next week at the online auction.”

Auction Spotlight: Invitations Going Home, and more

Invitations Going Home, Dessert Donations, Sponsorship

The show must go on! That is, of course, until there is BSD guidance that it can or should not… But at this early juncture, we are sticking to schedule and have a few important announcements:

  • The big news this week is that invitations are going home! Please check your child’s backpack this week and look for a *gold* envelope!
  • Second, this year we are mixing things up by introducing a deliciously suspenseful Dessert Dash game where tables will compete for the right to select the best looking dessert on display! To help us fill out our lineup, we are seeking donations of desserts or gift cards: check out our signup which lists the bakeries that we would love to have participate in our event, or email auctionprocurement@cherrycrest-ptsa.org.
  • Finally, we are still actively seeking and accepting sponsorship for the event. Contact: sponsorship@cherrycrest-ptsa.org
  • Have other questions? Visit our auction website or past news articles!

We look forward to seeing you there!

Ksenia Tsahhirov, Greg Smith and Amy Karlson
Your Cherry Crest World of Color 50th Anniversary Auction Chairs
auction@cherrycrest-ptsa.org

Auction Spotlight Question of the Week

Do both my spouse and I need to attend the event?

No! While many parents consider the auction to be a fun opportunity to get out of the house together, the auction is a community event first and foremost – you should absolutely feel free to come with a fellow parent, friend, or family member, especially if that simplifies childcare. In fact, we hope that everyone will encourage their friends to join them! When you purchase your ticket, there will be a place to specify friends that you’d like to sit with during dinner – name a friend or a group of friends, and we’ll do our best to sit you together!

We look forward to seeing you there!

Ksenia Tsahhirov, Greg Smith and Amy Karlson
Your Cherry Crest World of Color 50th Anniversary Auction Chairs
auction@cherrycrest-ptsa.org

Auction Spotlight Question of the Week

What is a Silent Auction and Why Would I Want to Bid?

When you arrive you’ll see dozens of “bidding sheets” across several tables in a room near the entrance, each one describing an item or experience donated for auction. Each sheet will have blank lines with an escalating list of prices the item could sell for. If you want the item, you “bid” to win it by writing your name on the line corresponding to the price you’re willing to pay. The highest bid at the end of the auction wins the item!
 
So what is there to win? Some of the silent auction items are donated by local businesses: kids’ birthday party packages, spa/salon treatments, tickets to events, kids camps and much more. You may find a deal on something you already planned to purchase (a summer camp!), or an excuse to try a new activity (tickets to a baseball game!), or a new variety of something you love (a coffee or wine bundle!).
 
Other items are donated by Cherry Crest teachers and forge memories children hold dear beyond their elementary school years: a teacher’s favorite book with a personalized inscription or teacher/child experience outside of school for a few lucky students!
 
There will be opportunities for your child to feel special and recognized at school for a day, or even all year long: Lunch with the Principal, Librarian for a Day, or a prominent campus street sign or bike parking spot with your child’s name on it.
 
There’s something in the silent auction for every budget – starting from $10. The Silent Auction phase of the evening is casual, social, and fun – a time for mingling, chatting, and munching on tasty appetizers, maybe while keeping one eye on your favorite item to make sure you don’t get outbid 😉! But there is no obligation to buy or bid on items – just come and enjoy the party! Catch up with old friends, make some new ones, and see what’s up for offer this year. We look forward to seeing you there!
 
Check out our FAQ or reach out to us with any other questions!
 
Ksenia Tshahhirov, Greg Smith and Amy Karlson
Your Cherry Crest World of Color 50th Anniversary Auction Chairs

Auction Spotlight: Question of the Week

Why does the PTSA raise money and where does it go?

Did you know that the Cherry Crest PTSA pays for nearly every event you can think of that gives our school its unique personality and far-reaching reputation for its unwavering commitment to students and teachers? The majority of the budget goes to paying for teachers’ assistants to improve (lower) student/teacher ratios in all classrooms and to pay for assistants in the cafeteria and playground to support positive social interactions among the students. Just over 20% of the budget pays for school-wide curriculum enhancement, which includes off-site field trips (e.g., theater, nature spaces, museums, etc.) as well as on-site visits from children’s educators across a variety of specialties (e.g., toy maker, author visits, animal encounters, etc.). Check the PTSA website for more information about enrichment events planned for your child this year! Another 10% of funds pay for school-wide community-building events, such as movie nights, ice-cream socials, festival of cultures, and spelling bee, to name just a few. The remaining 8% provides grants for staff and supports  appreciation events and PTSA operating costs (such as our website, send out our newsletter and responsibly manage our finances). All these programs are organized and run by a team of over 50 committed Cherry Crest parents that offer their time and energy on a 100% volunteer (unpaid) basis.

Put this year’s auction on your calendar and help keep it all going!

Ksenia Tsahhirov, Greg Smith and Amy Karlson
Your Cherry Crest World of Color 50th Anniversary Auction Chairs
auction@cherrycrest-ptsa.org

Auction Spotlight: Question of the Week

Do I have to buy something at the auction?

While a ticket is required to attend the event, you are under no obligation to bid on or buy anything during the evening.  Everybody in the Cherry Crest community is encouraged to come out and show their support just by attending this entertaining evening of food, drink, and mingling – help build our community simply by meeting up with old friends or making some new ones!  Of course, many people find that once they are there, they see a teacher experience they are interested in, fall in love with their child’s classroom art piece, decide to try their luck at a gift certificate to one of the area’s top restaurants, join forces with their friends to upgrade the dessert at their table, or get excited to attend one of the themed community parties or sports events that have been donated by other parents. So if you do plan on bidding, keep in mind there is something for every budget – starting at as little as $10 among the silent auction items all the way up to a thousand dollars or more for a once-in-a-lifetime experience in the live auction!  In any case, your level of commitment is entirely up to you – our main goal is for you to have FUN!

Check out our FAQ or ask us any other questions!

Ksenia Tsahhirov, Greg Smith and Amy Karlson
Your Cherry Crest World of Color 50th Anniversary Auction Chairs
auction@cherrycrest-ptsa.org