HENRY COUNTY – Everything from student art projects to exclusive vacation rentals will be up for auction at Carlisle School’s Blue and Gold Bash.
The annual charity event, which will take place at Chatmoss Country Club on February 9 from 6:30 to 9:30 PM, will feature delicious food, live music and opportunities to bid on one of a kind items.
“The Carlisle auction is a fun opportunity for our school family and community supporters to come together and aid an important charitable cause,” said Jennifer Doss, Carlisle School director of development.
The event, which is open to the public, presents guests with a unique opportunity to create a night full of new memories while reflecting on the private school’s 50-year legacy in the Martinsville area.
Founded in 1968, the school is a nonprofit 501(c)3 and does not receive any state or federal funding. As a result, Carlisle relies on donations and fundraising events to supplement tuition income. The annual Blue and Gold Bash is the school’s largest fundraiser event each year.
Supporting Carlisle School at the auction not only gives bidders a chance to attain exclusive items, but it also helps sponsor the leaders of the future. Proceeds from the event support the programs at Carlisle School, which enable the faculty to teach students the skills needed to lead, excel and succeed in life.
Several area sponsors pitched in to help make this year’s event a success, including Blue Ridge Bank, Frith Construction, Danny and Brenda Jones, Lawrence Distributing Company Inc. and Stateline Heart and Vascular. Donors include more than 130 individuals and local businesses.
More than 168 exciting items will be available to bid on. There are a number of getaway options including New York City, Myrtle Beach, Boone, the Outer Banks and Sanibel Island in Florida.
For those wanting to stay closer to home, Carlisle alumni, parents and supporters have offered exclusive dinner parties and catering services such as an oyster roast for 20, a fish fry on an Axton farm, a catered southern dinner, a party for 50 at Stoneleigh Estate, a Taste of New Orleans party and dinner for 12 overlooking Hamlet Vineyards in Bassett.
There are a plethora of goods up for grabs, including original artwork, home décor items, a custom fire pit, fine jewelry pieces, a fur handbag and furniture made locally by Hooker Furniture and Virginia Mirror.
Professional services are also popular items at the auction. Complete orthodontic treatments, massages, Cool Sculpting fat reduction treatment, Botox and hair care services are a few of the options offered.
“There are going to be so many wonderful items up for grabs at the auction this year,” said Amie Knowles, Carlisle School director of public relations. “I’m especially excited about the student artwork because our children worked so hard to create each piece.”
Carlisle faculty and staff helped students take finger painting to a whole new level. Classmates dipped their fingers in a variety of paint colors and pressed their prints onto a stenciled canvas, collectively creating silhouettes. A group of first graders painted a bird on a tree branch, while a third-grade class formed a dolphin with their fingerprints.
“There are auction items this year that I never could have dreamed of,” said Knowles. “The members on the planning committee really outdid themselves and the sponsors and donors came through in a big way for Carlisle. There will be things at this year’s auction that you’re not going to see anywhere else. From antiques to adventures and from artwork to services, the community dug deep to make this one of the best Blue and Gold Bashes we’ve ever hosted.”
Some items will enter an online pre-bidding phase on February 7, and all items will be available for bidding at the event. Anyone can pre-bid for items in the online auction and participation in the silent and live bidding event is included in the $50 per person admission price, which also includes dinner, music and drink tickets.
For those interested in purchasing tickets to the Blue and Gold Bash, or participating in pre-bidding, visit charityauction.bid/carlisle50. A limited number of tickets are available until February 8 and a catalog of available auction items is featured on the site.
For more information about the Blue and Gold Bash, contact Carlisle School at (276) 632-7288