A lively auction, successful silent auction, food and dancing were on tap as a festive crowd of some 150 people came to 41 Bridge Street to support Parent Teacher Organizations at Cherry Brook Primary and Canton Intermediate schools Saturday night.
Jenn Sanford, who co-chaired the Winter Festival Gala Silent and Live Auction with Mary Cambo Huff, Jenny Bahre and Hannah Gangaware, said organizers were excited to see more people than last year.
“We are thrilled with the turnout,” she said. “It nice to see so many of the parents supporting their Canton schools.”
The evening featured appetizers, a cash bar, a live auction with Channel 3 meteorologist and personality Scot Haney, appetizers by the Village Café, desserts by Cake Gypsy and music by Disc Jockey Paul Sanford.
While the event, on a smaller scale, goes back to 2005, this year marked the second time for the adults-only gala and auction. Last year, it raised more than $22,000. Organizers do not yet have a total for this year, which also included a two-week Internet auction leading up to the festival. In all about 400 items were donated by local businesses, about 100 of which were featured at the event.
“We are so grateful to all the businesses,” Jenn Sanford said.
The evening began with a silent auction. Attendees mingled and bid on numerous items as they enjoyed the company of other parents, school principals and a few well-known guests, such as police chief Christopher Arciero and Haney’s colleague Mark Dixon.
A live auction began shortly after 9 p.m. with an animated Haney, who admonished people to outbid each other and bid high to support the schools.
“I do so many things across the state, it’s nice to support my local community,” Haney, a Canton resident, said before the auction.
Parents were, of course, happy to support the schools.
“It’s certainly a worthy event,” said Tom Martin, who has a daughter at Canton High School.
Dan and Suzanne Hurley said it was also great to get a night out together.
“We don’t get out much,” Suzanne Hurley said. “It’s nice.”
Dan Hurley said it was also hard to resist bidding at the silent auction.
“It’s hard to hold back, especially when you know it’s going to your kid’s school,” he said.
Canton Intermediate School Principal Dr. Jordan Grossman said the evening showed a strong sense of support from parents.
“It’s great to see two schools united together for our most precious cause – the children,” he said.
