One Dollar Bid, Now Two, Will Ya' Give Me Two?

is embracing the popularity of online auctions to raise money for the school with its own online auction run by Marshall’s PTA.

Like eBay, Marshall's auction site offers an eclectic array of items: donations from local businesses, meals home-cooked by Marshall teachers, handmade soap. New items appear regularly. Bidding opened Feb. 1 and will continue through the end of the school year.

The organizers hope to raise $3,000, and the auction has already brought in one-third of that amount. The money will go into the PTA’s general fund, which finances grants for teachers, the school’s gardening program, printing costs, new supplies and more, said Yon Hardisty, chief executive officer of the program and a PTA member in charge of fundraising.

Last year, auction proceeds went toward buying new computers and cameras for the school, Hardisty said.

“Past auctions have been very successful and this year's auction looks to be more of the same,” Hardisty said. “In fact, with the new program approach, we expect this to be an even bigger year than in the past.”

This is Hardisty’s first year running the program, and he has implemented some changes.

“This year, we switched auction service providers and brought in a local small business to run the technology that underpins the auction itself,” Hardisty explained, “Doing this has allowed us to cut our operational costs at the same time we show our great support for local businesses.”

, , and the Oakland Zoo are among the local businesses that have donated auction items. In return, Marshall Elementary lists business donors on the school website.

Teachers and administrators at Marshall Elementary are offering items like “principal for a day” and home-cooked meals, Hardisty said. Many of these let parents bid on time their children can spend with educators outside the classroom.

Parents have donated some homemade items, including handmade soap and knit booties, Hardisty said. 

PTA President Hope Kingma said her favorite auction item so far is a third-grade art project.

“Each child made a glass tile, and all 25 tiles were fused together at Aran’s Art Studio to make a beautiful glass platter,” she said.

The bidding for that item has closed, but other student creations are currently listed online.

Nimone Li-Hardisty, another auction team member, said she had her eye on a Winchester Mystery House offering.

Click on this link to donate an auction item.

 “I think people should donate, buy and bid because it is giving right back to your very own community,” Hardisty said, “These are donations, purchases, bids that are landing right here, in your backyard.”

“The auction allows people to feel involved and connected to the school,” said Kingma, the PTA president. “It also goes without saying that the auction is an important fundraiser for the Marshall Elementary PTA.”