Supporting Our Students

In a perfect world, our education system would be fully funded and budgets would be non-existent. Programs would not have to be cut and there would be endless opportunities for our younger generation. While that is not the reality, there is good news. In the community of Bonners Ferry there are businesses, organizations and individuals who are eager and willing to help make a difference in the lives of students and teachers. For approximately 30 years the Mt. Hall Elementary School auction has helped raise funds to enrich the learning opportunities of its students.

According to Lyndsay Hart, a fifth grade teacher at Mt. Hall who has taught at the school for 11 years and served as PTO vice president, the auction is steeped in years of tradition. “While most of the staff who were around in the beginning have since retired, we are determined to keep the tradition alive,” said Hart.

In its infancy, the auction included donations of items such as houseplants and the offering of services such as babysitting or home vacuuming. When nationally known veterinarian and author, Marty Becker, had children attending the school, Becker helped to organize a larger auction, the All-School Mega Auction. “The entire district participated and funds were divided up among the schools,” said Hart “These grand auctions often had trips, football or basketball tickets, Hollywood scripts as well as big, local donations of goods and services like well-drillings and loads of gravel and lumber. When we were building our house, I was able to purchase a number of construction materials and services from the auction.”

The last Mega Auction was in 2010. The following year the auction returned to the Mt. Hall auction, and many of those involved were determined to keep many of the traditions alive. One of those traditions is to have each class create a themed basket to donate for auction.

“Last year the auction raised $12,000 thanks to the donations from local stores and businesses, families who donated to class baskets, and those in our amazing community who attended,” shared Hart with great appreciation, adding that there are anywhere between 100 and 175 auction items each year.

With so many needs, the money raised is put to good use. Each year a large portion of the money has been used to purchase books for the library. In recent past, the library has been able to purchase a barcode/ scanning computer system. But the organizers also recognize that to learn, kids need to be active so they can focus, so money has also gone to fund new playground equipment, basketball hoops and a court. There have also been improvements to the facility such as carpet and paving.

Hart notes that there are areas that the state has stopped funding such as covering the cost of bussing for field trips. “We created field trip accounts for classes to travel on field trips. We also use the money to pay for assemblies – traveling, educational programs that we bring in for enrichment opportunities for our students,” said Hart.

There are other ways in which the money has been put to use. Some of it has been divided up among the staff to purchase materials, books and programs.

“Essentially we are able to meet needs as they arise and not spend all our own money on classroom materials, like so many teachers do these days,” said Hart.

This year’s auction will take place on Friday, November 20 at the Mt. Hall gymnasium. Admission is free and there is a Papa Murphy’s pizza dinner beginning at 5pm. Pizza is $2 per slice, and if you would like to add a salad and drink, the cost is an additional $3.50. The auction will begin at 6pm. Raffle tickets can be purchased at Homestead Coffee.

According to one of the organizers, Casady Brimhall, there are several fabulous items that have already been donated for the November 20 event. “So far we have received as auction items a dresser from Beck’s Furniture, a unit of lumber from North Idaho Forest Group, a fishing trip down the Kootenai from 3 Heart Outfitters, and numerous gift cards and gift baskets from other local businesses,” said Brimhall. “We also have raffle items that include a GoPro Hero 3, a Keurig Brewing system, and Cobra 2-way waterproof radios.”

Come and join the fun and help a great cause. In addition to the items already mentioned, there will be class baskets with items donated by families of the students in each class, as well as local crafts, cards, painted windows, gift certificates to local shops and restaurants, home-canned goods and much more!

“It's amazing that we have such great people that support the school,” said Brimhall.

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