Marquez Charter Elementary School and Friends of Marquez hosted a “Parents’ Night Out Annual Auction” at The Buffalo Club in Santa Monica on Saturday evening, March 9.
Friends of Marquez is a nonprofit organization run by parent volunteers who fundraise and work with the Marquez Governing Board and School leaders.
Saturday’s event included silent and live auctions, a roaming magician from the Magic Castle in Hollywood, dinner, and dancing. Auction items included luxury vacations from The Four Seasons Hotels in both Costa Rica and Maui, gift certificates from many local businesses such as elysewalker and Tamara Mellon, dinners from Pearl Dragon, Taste and others, many camps and educational opportunities for kids, and both Los Angeles Fire Department Station 69 and 23 donated “Dinners at the Firehouse” and a ride to school in a fire engine for one lucky student.
The event was organized by co-chairs Sarah Goldsmith, Michelle Oles and Katie Michael.
“Parents’ Night Out was extremely successful,” Sarah Goldsmith, lead chair of the event, told the Palisadian-Post. “The event raised over $50,000 and attendance was up from last year. We wanted to have a really fun parents’ night out—a date night—no fancy theme you needed to dress for or stress about … just a bunch of friends coming together to have a really good time.”
Goldsmith explained that the annual event is special because many Marquez families have gone through the school together for many years, developing lifelong friendships.
“Auction night is a chance to celebrate together and raise funds for the school’s enrichment programs,” Goldsmith said.
Jesse Erwin served as the live auctioneer and Andrew Hires was the event DJ. Sahar Abraham designed and donated the floral arrangements.
The American Legion presented Elisa Marks and Alyssa Gallagher, co-presidents of Friends of Marquez, with a check for $10,000. The money raised will go toward lower class sizes, physical education, music, science, edible gardens and 1:1 iPads for students in grades one through five.
On March 30, Friends of Marquez will host its Pali Parents Kickball Game, followed by the Spring Fling on May 19 and the Mother/Son Dance on June 1.
For more information, visit friendsofmarquez.com, or contact Katie Michael at katiemichael@me.com or 310-945-7521.
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