Change of pace: Pacelli Benefit Auction moves from April to January – Austin Daily Herald

1 of 4

Attendees of a past Pacelli Catholic Schools annual fundraiser pose for a fun picture. Photo provided

People enter a past Pacelli Catholic Schools Fundraiser to the paparrazi treament. Photo provided

Tables are set for the stars during a past Pacelli Catholic Schools annual fundraiser event. Photo provided

Paceli Catholic Schools students get into the fun during a past Pacelli Catholic Schools Fundraising event. Photo provided

The Pacelli Catholic Schools annual Benefit Auction is making a change of seasons this year.

Normally held during the spring, organizers moved the annual benefit, from which money raised goes toward programming at the school, to make it easier for people to attend.

“We normally host in the spring, in April, and this year its in January,” said Pacelli interim principal Robyn Bickler. “It’s because we seem to have so many conflicts in the spring in the community — proms, weddings …”

And so the move was made this year to Saturday, Jan. 27. Happy hour will kick off the 32nd annual event at 6 p.m. with a dinner catered by Heather Holmen, owner of Grinders Deli, starting at 7 p.m.

From 6 p.m. throughout the evening there will be a silent auction, with a live auction beginning at 8 p.m. featuring between 15-20 items. There will also be a wine pull, dessert dash, heads and tails game and a raffle featuring a $1,000 prize.

“It’s really grown over the years,” said Bickler, who shared that this year’s theme is Shamrocks & Snowflakes: A Winter Wonderland. “It started primarily as a silent auction and small donations and prizes.”

The night will take place in All Saints Gym at Pacelli and will also include a special performance by the Pacelli student show choir and music teacher Katie Bisanti during happy hour.

Bickler said the school is hoping to raise over $200,000 at this year’s benefit.

“It’s amazing how much support we have from parents and alumni and the general community of Austin,” she said. “The money raised is quite astronomical when watching the donations come in. Our target is $250,000 and we’ve reached that in the past.”

That funding becomes important as it goes toward education funding at the school.

“It does because our primary funding as a non-profit is strictly tuition dollars, fundraising and parish support,” Bickler said. “It helps with those scholarships.”

Tickets for the event are $75 per person or $150 for couples. A table of 8-10 people is $700. Each ticket includes dinner and two drink tickets.

To get your tickets, visit www.pacellischools.org and click on the link. Tickets can also be purchased at the door the night of the event.