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Photo by Eric Engman

Photo by Eric Engman

Photo by Eric Engman

FAIRBANKS — Volunteers were buzzing about Monroe Catholic High School gym (Boileau Hall) Saturday, industriously kickstarting the monumental task of unpacking, sorting and displaying thousands of auction items on multiple rows of tables for the 40th annual HIPOW (Happiness is Paying Our Way) auction.

The three-day fundraiser for the Catholic Schools of Fairbanks runs Thursday through Saturday and features silent and outcry auctions each evening.

To say there’s something for everyone at HIPOW is an understatement. The event features a wide assortment of items from the practical like tools and kitchen ware to collectibles, antiques, art, furniture and everything in between as well as gift certificates for a variety of services.

Thursday and Friday are Family Nights and are free to enter. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. with outcry auctions starting at 7:30 p.m. Both silent and oral auction items are geared to please all ages.

Saturday night festivities include a gala sit-down dinner and specialty auction items including a 30” x 36” oil painting entitled “Thin Spaces” by this year’s featured HIPOW artist, Linda Payne. Tickets for Saturday’s event are available for $125 each.

For more than 30 years, Josie Wooding has been helping set up the HIPOW auction even though her youngest child graduated from Monroe High in 1989.

“We tell close friends, ‘Please don’t get sick and don’t die near HIPOW time, we don’t have time for it,’” she joked.

But Wooding wasn’t joking when she said, “I’ve missed trips and weddings to be here for HIPOW. I’m really committed to the project. I believe in the school. My family and friends know this is a sacred time for me.”

Across the hall, in the school’s Multi Purpose Room, more volunteers were putting together a separate shopping area, called the Buy-it-Now-Room.

It’s new this year. There are no silent auction bid sheets, but lots of bargains from overflow donations to HIPOW. The quick-sale spot will be open both Thursday and Friday nights from 5:30-7:30 p.m.

“You don’t have to go through the pain of bidding here,” joked volunteer Buzzy Chiu.

“This is a great spot for kids to come in and buy Christmas presents,” she added.

Adults will find interesting items as well, from exercise equipment to leather coats and a variety of small furniture including a plush massage chair.

Other features of the event include signing up as a guest for a hosted dinner party, and some include a theme such as winter solstice, dancing or holiday lights.

A Designer Corner features exclusive handbags, sunglasses and gift items.

Many art items, including prints and originals, are available all three days.

Saturday night’s auctions feature the more expensive items, said Nancy Cook Hanson, Interim Director of Schools.

Two autos will go up on the auction block Saturday night: a Toyota Camry Hybrid, valued at $27,389, and a 2009 Grand Caravan SE with a retail value of $29,149.

Also up for bid are a 2009 Ski-doo Summit snowmachine and 2008 Can AM ATV DS 450, an oak bedroom set, an Ice Road Truckers trip and two halibut fishing trips.

Bids also are taken over the phone for auction items.

Students are involved in the fundraiser. Attendees will be able to choose between laundry-size theme baskets donated and prepared by the pre-kindergarten through sixth grade classes. Themes include gardening, Italian food, grilling, chocolate, fishing and Disney.

Huge collages created by high school artists reflect the birch tree theme of this year’s featured artist and are displayed on the gym walls.

This year’s HIPOW theme, “Catch the Spirit,” is the same as the school’s, which Hanson said has been showing a slight increase in enrollment the past two years and now numbers 475 students.

HIPOW was started 40 years ago by the late Rev. Francis W. McGuigan S.J. to raise money for the Catholic Schools, Hanson explained, and it has continued unfailingly ever since with widespread support from the community.

And this year, as in years past, Hanson said, people have been very generous.