Cherry Brook, Canton Intermediate School PTOs Launch Online Auction

Parent Teacher Organizations at Cherry Brook and Canton Intermediate schools are once again launching a major fundraising initiative this winter.

An online auction begins today, an effort that will lead up to a Canton Winter Festival Auction and Gala fundraiser with television meteorologist and personality Scot Haney on March 5.

“The Winter Festival is a wonderful event,” said Cherry Brook principal Andy Robbin. “It provides the community great opportunities to support our students.  The evening out is a great gathering and it’s always heartwarming to see the community outreach with the donation and bidding for items.” 

“It’s such a great event,” added Dr. Jordan Grossman, Canton Intermediate principal. “We’re so fortunate to have PTOs that are willing to put in the time and effort.”

The effort began in 2005, when $9,000 was raised for Cherry Brook school, said Mary Cambo Huff, who is co-chairing this year’s event with Jenny Bahre, Hannah Gangaware and Jenn Sanford.

Since then the event has grown every year and last year it was expanded to include an adult-only event at 41 Bridge St. hosted by Haney and catered by Steven Day of Village Café. An online auction was also added to the silent and live auctions and local businesses donated numerous items for the effort.

"It was a lot of work, but was very well received,” Cambo Huff said. So well received in fact, that it brought in approximately $22,000. This year, organizers are running the initiative in a similar way and local businesses are contributing once again. 

One of the main purposes of the event was to support PTO budgets and provide funding for field trip bus expenses above and beyond what the Board of Education is able to provide. It has grown so much that PTOs are able to provide many other items and services.

At Cherry Brook, for example, the festival paid for Smart-Boards in every classroom, Robbin said.

At Canton Intermediate, it paid for a climbing wall, weather station and science center. Other items funded include Alert Now Systems, reading programs, paving for outdoor activities, courtyard improvements, sound systems and mobile keyboard technology, Cambo Huff said.

PTO members are hoping people will support the effort once again. “We're hoping for another successful event this year,” Cambo Huff said. The online auction can be viewed at http://www.biddingforgood.com/auction/AuctionHome.action?auctionId=118753479.

Tickets for the gala can be purchased at https://cispto.ejoinme.org/?tabid=255138.