Yelm Dollars for Scholars is gearing up for its 28th annual live auction and dinner on Saturday, March 11.
The live auction will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Lake Lawrence Community Club at 15735 Topaz Drive SE in Yelm.
“It’s been awesome getting prepared for our 28th auction,” Jennie Foglia-Jones, with Yelm Dollars for Scholars, said “The Yelm community always comes out really strong for this event and we’re excited to see what this year brings.”
Dinner at the live auction will be provided by Masonry Cafe, while Yelm Liquor donated beer and wine. Attendees will receive two drink cards to use throughout the evening.
Students from Yelm High School will be involved in the live auction as they help serve dinner. They will also be responsible for different tasks throughout the evening.
The centerpieces present at each table were made by the Yelm High School floral class and those with seats will be able to bid on them.
Prior to the live auction, Yelm Dollars for Scholars will host its online silent auction from Friday, March 3 to Friday, March 10. Pre-registration for the silent auction is encouraged and can be done on the Yelm Dollars for Scholars’ website.
“COVID changed the way the event was taking place as everything had to go online during the pandemic,” Foglia-Jones said. “We had an online silent auction happening on Zoom and what we found was that we actually raised a lot more money through that silent auction.”
Over 150 tickets have already been sold for the live auction, according to Foglia-Jones. She added that Yelm Dollars for Scholars is aiming to sell 250 tickets, but could make accommodations for more than that.
“Every dollar that we raise gets turned into scholarships. It’s all going back to the kids,” Foglia-Jones said. “We’re really excited for the live auction. We’re getting some great auction items already.”
Some of the auction item baskets that have already been donated include wine, board games, and items related to the Seahawks and the Mariners.
At the event, participants will be asked if they would like to participate in the “bling ring” jewelry raffle. Foglia-Jones said the raffle winner will be able to choose from one of five different jewelry items from Farwell Jewelry in Yelm. Tickets for the raffle sell for $25. There will be only 100 raffle tickets available.
People who want to support Yelm Dollars for Scholars through a different method can participate in the ongoing Taste of the Prairie program, Foglia-Jones said. Select restaurants in the greater-Yelm area are donating a proceed of their benefits to Yelm Dollars for Scholars on select days. There are several dates remaining in February and March. A full list can be found online at yelm.dollarsforscholars.org.
Foglia-Jones also highlighted some of the event’s sponsors, which include Today’s Dental as the presenting sponsor, Northwest Chevrolet, and others.
Danny Schorno will be the event’s auctioneer and Yelm Community Schools Superintendent Brian Wharton will serve as the master of ceremonies.
Tickets to the auction can be purchased on the Yelm Dollars for Scholars website for $60.
The annual event raises funds to support Yelm High School graduates who are pursuing further education or training in the form of scholarships. The program has raised and distributed $2.6 million over the last 27 years, according to the organization.
