2009 HIPOW raises $600,000 for Fairbanks Catholic schools
Published Tuesday, October 13, 2009
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Stumble It!FAIRBANKS — Buzz Otis’ vocal cords were the hot commodity at the 40th annual HIPOW closing auction and black tie dinner Saturday night.
Otis, a co-chairman of the three-day Happiness is Paying Our Way fundraiser for the Catholic Schools of Fairbanks, sparked the crowd’s interest with a musical challenge: a pledge to sing Roger Miller’s “King of the Road” if the goal was met.
And in less than 10 minutes, the challenge to raise $100,000 for fund-an-item campaign was met with $6,000 to spare.
The entire $106,000 raised will go toward the schools’ operating budget. In past years, the sideline to the silent and oral auctions has been used for computers, playground equipment, textbooks and carpeting.
And Otis was good on his promise, rewarding the audience of 600 with the song.
“This was an outstanding HIPOW,” said Nancy Cook Hanson, interim director of schools.
The $600,000 — before expenses — raised in the three-day event was more than previous years’ highest by about $50,000.
“It was more than we expected,” Hanson added.
Forty years ago, the Rev. Francis McGuigan started the event, to raise money for the schools, and although McGuigan died in the late 1990s, it has drawn in supporters from all parts of the community ever since.
Auction items and services, both practical and high-end, are donated and cataloged all year long by the Monroe Foundation.
And as the event draws near, a cadre of volunteers takes over, setting up display tables for the affair, which always features a guest artist.
“As always, the certificates and practical items did well,” Hanson said. “We had a number of items from the Ann Walsh estate, some really nice Alaskan artifacts and some beautiful ivory and gold jewelry.”
Artwork by Fred Machetanz, Thelma Walker and Joanne Kickbush was popular, and the birch tree painting by this year’s guest artist, Linda Payne, went for $6,000, double its estimated value.
Another highlight of the evening was a short video showing the heart of the schools — the students — put together by Immaculate Conception Elementary Principal Amanda Angaiak and her husband, Michael.
“Amanda is the brains behind this,” Hanson said, referring to Amanda Blanchard, advancement coordinator at the Monroe Foundation for the past three years.
Throughout the year, Blanchard estimates she spends approximately 60 percent of her time coordinating the October event.
“Some volunteers have been here 30-plus years,” Blanchard said. It’s amazing to me that they keep coming back. Everybody shows up and they know what to do and it goes without a hitch.”
And it isn’t over yet. There are lots of loose ends being tied up this week, and then there are the hundreds of thank you notes.
“After thank you notes are sent out, it’s a roll right into the next year,” Blanchard said. “We’ll start again and try and make it better than the previous year.”
Contact staff writer Mary Beth Smetzer at 459-7546.
Community Discussion
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this has crap all over it
happiness in paying our way?
catholic church is wrong wrong wrong
money money money
who can go the distance?
we will find out in the long run
true religion stands alone
with out asking for money
ever
just keep the little kids away from the higher ups
am I wrong?
you know, the people that are supposed to teach religion
what a crock
see you in court
you did what to my child??
my anger is way off the charts
wow chopper.....anger off the charts? i am a recovering catholic, and even i can appreciate this event
chopperchaser - I agree with you,...the Catholic Church allowed too many liberals to become priests.
The foundation collects the money and hoards it for the future. While I think they should use more of the money, there is a positive side effect - the sexual abuse victims will be able to add this money to their settlement.
Please let me ask if the Catholic schools are paying their own way - why do they accept bus service from the FNSBSD?
as a lifelong catholic in this community, it is shameful that the horrific acts of a few bad people can allow you above bloggers to be so hateful. I am in no way pardoning the wrong doers. they should be prosecuted to the fullest extent, but again to make the assumption that it is all Priests? really though. Those actions were because of the weakness of humans, not the teachings of the church. You can find corrupt people in any denomination of religion, organization, or office. Using this line of reasoning, all Jews are cheap, all Mormons are polygamists, and non-denominational Christians are not exempt either. Look up Peter Popov, Jimmy Swaggert, and Jim and Tammy Faye Baker. For those of you that are so quick to judgement, you'll have your day too. Punish the guilty ones, but don't judge the innocent.
Manilo: Come on, now. Anti-Catholicism is one of this country's last socially-acceptable bigotries. Don't try to take that away from these people . . .
Rev. Francis W. McGuigan , 81, died of cancer on June 3, 2000
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Which is $106,000 or $600,000. If you idiots who are writing your hate rants read the article you would see the NM reporting is messy.
Free, the way I read it the article says the $106K was for the "fund-an-item campaign" on Saturday night while all three days raised $600K.
Free...the $106,000 was only part of the total funds raised....the total was $600,000. Apparently Buzz Otis had some sort of competition to raise $100,000 in ten minutes...in that ten minutes $106,000 was raised. I know it's a bit muddy, but another cup of coffee or two and you'll get it. :)
Good job on this event - nice to see the community come together in a positive way for something
Also - save the hate for other articles...this one doesn't deserve it
The parents of children attending ICS/Monroe pay the same taxes toward the School District as everyone else. So they are paying the same fair share of bus costs as anyone else.
I am glad I was able volunteer this year, and plan to for years to come.
twain,
"The kids can go to public schools."
You are not a good advertisement for the public schools. You reek of hatred in most of your posts.
Some of you people just aren't happy unless your dishing something. If you had to pay for that school you would cry. They pay their own way you cry. boo hoo hoo.
Losers know no season.
The FNSBD couldn't handle 400+ students. People should be happy there are private schools in the area so it puts less of a burden on the borough for example: overcrowding etc.
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