Rainier Education Foundation hits $1M mark at 25th annual Auction for Education

$1 million.

Not quite a summation of the Rainier Education Foundation’s impact on the lives of Rainier High School seniors over the last quarter century. But indicative just the same.
In addition to hitting the $1 million mark in its 25th year, the REF also set a new annual sales record, tentatively raising over $68,500 from the start of the overnight online silent auction through the live auction on Saturday, March 29, according to REF President Jim Holmes.

“We hit almost $20,000 in cash sponsorships from these guys you see, these banners around the room,” Holmes said after the auction, referring to the many businesses who donated their time and resources. “Our sponsors were the key.”

The REF listed Stewart’s Meats, Casa Mia, Kimball’s Ranch, Steele Barrel BBQ, Overhead Innovations, Pride Construction, Whitewater Orthodontics and Design N Signs as its top donors of 2025.

Holmes also credited the Rainier School District staff and teachers, the generous community of bidders and donors, and the all-volunteer staff for making the event a success.

For Holmes, the annual Auction for Education goes beyond money. It touches home.

“My wife (Deborah Holmes), she graduated here in 1981, and she’s the business manager of the school, and my kids all went through this school, and my grandkids are coming up, so it’s pretty special to us,” Holmes said.

For the second straight year, the REF auction was held live — and in person.

“The grassroots of this community were here tonight, and everybody is so giving when you get them in a room like this,” Holmes said. “And of course, you got Larry Schorno up front. He’s been doing our auction for 23 years.”

It was Schorno’s final time auctioneering the long-running event. The REF announced a $1,000 scholarship on his behalf on Saturday evening.

Schorno wasn’t the only attendee who spanned the event’s history. REF Honorary
Founders Tammy Miller, Janet Aschenbrenner and Joanne Zuchowski were celebrated as guest speakers.

Aschenbrenner began by thanking the REF and audience members for keeping the event going after all these years, while Zuchowski spoke to the event’s history.

“It started out with teacher grants. Scholarships came later,” Zuchowski told the audience. “We had a couple fundraisers; I think the first one was a family photo portrait. We sold subscriptions to that. And then we decided we’d do a walk. We made a thousand dollars. We were so excited we made a thousand dollars.”

Still, they wanted to do more.

“So, we went to Yelm Auction,” she said. “We saw kind of how they did things. And the rest is history.”

Tammy Miller moved to the area in 1996 and was hired to be Rainier’s school secretary. She praised the way the community comes together to support the kids and the school, calling it “incredible.”

“We wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you,” Treasurer and Auction Chair Tracy Carli told the three honorary founders.

“We may have started it, but you guys have kept it going,” Zuchowski responded. “You have taken it to new levels.”

The 26 live auction items included a $1,000 gift certificate to Whitewater Orthodontics, a 40-guest pickleball party with instruction from 23 Kitchens, a one-year basic membership with Rainier Functional Training Center, a $500 gift certificate from Les Schwab, and a ride-along with Thurston County Sheriff Derek Sanders, among others.

Casa Mia catered the dinner. A dessert dash served as the prelude to the live auction. After the event, Zuchowski spoke about the importance of these scholarships for the seniors.

“Some of them probably wouldn’t get started if they didn’t have a scholarship,” Zuchowski told the Nisqually Valley News. “Once you’ve got a year under your belt, I think you’re more motivated to continue and do whatever you need to do to continue on for that second, third or fourth year. So, giving them a start is just invaluable, first of all, to let them know that we care about them, and hopefully they have a good experience that first year and see the value of continuing on.”

The students aren’t just beneficiaries. According to Holmes in a post-event email, Rainier students put in over 500 combined volunteer hours to help create the event.

These volunteer hours factor into the awarded scholarship amounts. The scholarship money may be used for trade schools, professional licensing and college pursuits. Students receive an initial amount their senior year, then have the opportunity to renew at an approximate set amount of $600 for up to three consecutive years.

Students who wish to receive scholarships need to act fast. The REF scholarship application deadline for both initial and renewal scholarships is April 15. Scholarships will be awarded at Senior Awards Night.

The REF teacher grant application process for the Rainier School District will begin this spring, with results to be shared in early fall.

For more information on scholarship application details, visit the Rainier Education Foundation website at www.rainiereducationfoundation.com.