Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — Lowell Whiteman Primary School provided more financial aid this year than ever before.

The K-8 school gave $153,000 in scholarships to students for 2010-11. That’s a 51 percent increase from the $101,000 the school gave last year.

“Our need has increased this year,” said Debbie Gooding, White­­man Primary’s admissions director. “We project we’ll need more funds next year.”

She said that’s part of the reason why this year’s annual scholarship auction is so important. Proceeds from the event are added to Whiteman Primary’s scholarship fund and will provide financial aid next year for students who attend the school. Tuition is $12,900 a year. Gooding said 30 percent of students this year are receiving financial aid.

The 18th annual Whiteman Pri­­mary scholarship auction is at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at Sweet­water Grill. Tickets, which are selling fast, are $50 and can be purchased by calling Gooding at 970-879-8081. The cost of the ticket covers heavy appetizers, beer, wine and soft drinks. There will be a cash bar for cocktails.

Parent Gina Zedeck, chairwoman of the school’s development committee, said last year’s auction raised $55,000 for the scholarship fund.

Gooding said scholarship funds not raised during the auction come from private donations, tuition and other fundraisers.

Zedeck said the committee hopes to raise $70,000 this year. She said during planning for the event, committee members were initially worried they wouldn’t be able to generate more than last year given the economic recession. But Zedeck said they raised $23,000 by selling sponsorships and advertising for the auction, which beat the previous record of $22,000 and outpaced last year’s $15,000.

“To raise that much more in advertising and sponsorships this year makes us feel really good going into this event, so we’re hopeful,” she said.

Sponsors for the event are Yampa Valley Bank and Deer Park Road Corp., in addition to other local businesses and White­­­­man Primary families.

Gooding said about 200 “amazing” items would be available for auction, from baby­­sitting services volunteered by students to a weeklong trip to Moab, Utah. Other items include box seats to a Colorado Avalanche hockey game, a 2010 Winter Olym­­pics jacket from U.S. Ski Team member and three-time silver medalist Johnny Spillane, and art projects from each class at Whiteman Primary.

And for the second year in a row, the school will donate part of the night’s proceeds to LIFT-UP of Routt County. To coincide with “sweet,” this year’s auction theme, Gooding said five local artists will make sweet culinary creations. She said auction patrons will vote for their favorite edible creation by buying tickets, one for $5 or five for $20.

Gooding said Whiteman Pri­­mary will donate the money generated by the highest vote getter to LIFT-UP. She said the sweet culinary creations would be given away in a drawing at the end of the night.

Those who attend the auction also are encouraged to bring canned goods for the LIFT-UP food bank.

The school’s families get sponsors and auction items and are volunteering at the event, Gooding said. She said because of their involvement, the cost to host the auction stays low, allowing for all proceeds to go into the scholarship fund.

“It’s the parents who go out and solicit or donate things themselves,” Gooding said.

“That’s what makes it so wonderful and equitable. Everybody participates.”