Annual Gala Donations Overview

On behalf of the Gala Committee, we hope you are having a wonderful school year. We are so excited to have grown ups night out in support of our wonderful school.

The Gala Committee is responsible for leading the school’s annual gala & auction fundraising effort. Our goal this year is to raise $80,000. Like most schools, tuition alone does not cover operating costs, which include staff compensation, classroom equipment, supplies, building expenses and repairs, insurance and financial aid. This event is necessary to help bridge this gap, and it’s fun every time.

GALA AND AUCTION – FEBRUARY 8, 2025

As members of the cooperative, each family is obligated to purchase one (1) ticket per parent to the gala and contribute one (1) of the following Gala donation options by Friday, December 13.

1. One Auction Item AND One Fund-Our-Future Donation

2. One Luxury Auction Item (Valued at or greater than $500)

3. One Fund-Our-Future Donation (Valued at or greater than $500)

*Donations to Fund-Our-Future are used for special projects, maintaining healthy reserves, investing in teacher training, and strategic initiatives to help Park West evolve and grow over time. Like every family that came before you, your donations to school support not only your own child, but those who will come here after you. When you make a contribution to fund-our-future you are ensuring that Park West has the resources to remain a pillar for early childhood education in Chicago. Fund-Our-Future contributions are 100% tax deductible. 

Please note: Tots families are not required whatsoever to purchase Gala and Auction tickets or donate items, but are absolutely encouraged to do both - we’re so happy you’re part of our community!

IMPORTANT DATES 

December 13                  Auction items due to office 

February 8                    Annual gala event

Securing auction items

When should we start to solicit items?

Start now! And key word solicit! We encourage you to ask around and use your connections in seeking auction items. Auction items are due in the office at Park West by December 13. ​An Auction Captain will be assigned​ to each classroom. The Auction Captain will be contacting you soon to outline auction requests specific to your class. The captains will also be available to answer questions, track donations, and usher your donations to the office.

As you start soliciting auction items, feel free to use one of our email/letter examples attached below:

• Generic letter (you don’t have a specific contact or know the person well)

• Generic pitch note, tailored to meet Dyson’s requirements for contribution (example if you need to “prove” why a donation would align with the company’s goals)

• Personalized email (if you know the person well or have given the company significant business)

How much should the auction item be worth?

Values can vary. We encourage auction item values to range from $100 to $6,000+. If your family is able to donate a higher value, luxury item, please contact galachair@parkwestcoop.org.

What types of auction items are we looking for?

Ask for items you yourself would be interested in purchasing at an auction. Think of items to donate that would be difficult for someone to go out and purchase on their own. Leverage personal connections. We challenge you to be creative, and new ideas are always encouraged. To assist in your donation consideration, here is a more thorough list of items that have performed the best in the past. 

Here is a link to the Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce Family Resource Guide, for ideas of businesses located in and around the Lincoln Park neighborhood.