DOORBUSTERS

Doors open for the silent auction at 5:00 sharp. Remember, the FIRST 75 GUESTS get free parking tonight.  (I assume that means the first 75 cars, or DON'T get behind that VW Beetle with the oversized shoes and red noses sticking out the sunroof because all bets are off.) 


The FIRST 100 GUESTS also get a free signature cocktail. And this time, all those clowns count, so be on time! See you there. 

White Diamonds are to Elizabeth Taylor as Pink Sapphires are to Joanie Quinn

As MC of the St. Clare Auction, I would like to let everyone know that I am taking this job very seriously.  I have devoted hours upon hours (this week) writing new material, honing jokes, and researching our staff and auction team (between High School/Middle School/3rd grade Basketball Tournaments, a Teacher Luncheon this week, swim lessons, French lessons, a comedy show, a Bingo-calling/Fundraiser event, an out-of-town husband, and one home haircut.)  Remember, I LIVETIRED in order to make the auction evening an entertaining one for everyone.  

Also, in preparation, I have invested more money in undergarments than outergarments.  Please compliment them that night so that I can justify this expense to my husband.

What can I say about Debbi Monahan, Nancy Melzer, Fr. Charles, or the two Dad dudes chairing this years auction?  Probably a lot - but I'm limited time-wise due to anxiousness about paddle numbers flying and lots of oral packages to move along...so don't be surprised if I slip in my hilarious jokes here and there - pay close attention, pay very close attention.  I may or may not have dirt to share.   

One of the best things about MC'ing the auction is I get to wear REAL jewels (not my plastic sparkly tiara!) during the silent auction - pink sapphire diamond earrings and necklace (donated by Kassab Jewelers, Oral Auction Package 42.)  I am honored to have some bling to swing!

Hope to see you there!!!

Joanie

T-3 days: The Blog Staff Gets Punchy

And now it's time for a feature we like to call "Dragon Facts with Tricia Leishman...."

DRAGON FACT!

A Google search of the terms “Are Dragons Real?” returned about 77,000,000 results in 0.18 seconds. An excerpt: Yes, they are very real. However, they are no longer living in this dimension. They did at one time but for reasons ("reasons" not provided) they had to leave this dimension. People have seen then them but often when they are drunk.” So if you see a dragon after the auction, make sure someone else is driving. 

DRAGON FACT!

This year’s theme “Year of the Dragon: Get Fired Up” is based on Chinese astrology, which assigns each person an animal corresponding to the year they were born. Cool for DRAGONS, not so cool for PIGS like me.

DRAGON SURVEY RESULTS!

A randomly selected sample of St. Clare Students were asked what they would name our mascot, the St. Clare Dragon: 

• Male: Honey, Patrick
• Female: Honey, Fallon, Susie 
• Gender Neutral: Lucky, Buddy, Shoehorn

DRAGON RHYME!

Just to get you in the spirit of the evening, I have rewritten "The Tyger" by William Blake as "The Dragon:"

Dragon! Dragon! Bidding bright!

At the auction on this night  

Which immortal parent friends 

Will save thee when thou overspends?

DRAGON FACT!

Here is a fact I am FIRED UP about! An auction item I suggested was simply ignored. It did not even receive the courtesy of a rejection. Pre-signed tardy slips. Wouldn’t you pay top dollar to avoid that walk of yellow-slipped shame? 

DRAGON FACT!

In the New Testament, the devil takes the form of a red dragon with seven heads and ten horns in his battle against Archangel Michael. And so clearly, it is the perfect Catholic school auction theme. 

Drop EVERYTHING. The catalogue is online.

Can you stop yourself from reading it right this second? 
Go ahead. 
Try. 
I dare you. 
Don't read it. 
 
I knew you couldn't do it. That's okay. 
I couldn't do it either. 
Let's click here to get our grubby little hands on it. 

Time to get serious, auction people, and talk post-party

You've got the babysitter, you're all dressed up, it's 10:00. WAY too early to go home... Let's start talking post-auction party. 


As exciting as it is to try a new auction venue, I am not alone in mourning proximity to the PPAA - site of some fabulous post-auction shenanigans.  And so I put it out there to you...where will you be taking the after-party this year? 


Consider the Driftwood Room at the Hotel Deluxe, half a block away. Kinda lounge-that-time-forgot, but also kinda Mad Men.  Or use local transit to change the scene - hoof it over 405, hop on the street car and head to the Pearl (after all, WWNRD can also mean WHERE Would Nancy Richman DRINK?) Or do shady customers and surly bar-keeps await you at the Commodore Lounge 2 blocks away?

Other suggestions? The floor is open...?

Why we should have a parish picnic with a bouncy obstacle course again....

At last year’s auction, everyone got the chance to hear a moving reflection from school parent Tricia Leishman about how tuition assistance has changed her life. Tricia told us all how much better off she and her smart and adorable daughter are because they are part of our school community through tuition assistance.

But that’s just part of the story. See, I would say that while tuition assistance is certainly a gift to the recipient, it may be a greater gift to the rest of us whose lives are enriched by those the Holy Spirit blows our way.  And I will make this case by telling you how much better my life is with Tricia and her daughter in it.

I met Tricia volunteering at the parish picnic in 2010. She was memorable because she had somehow drawn the worst volunteer job ever as “bad cop” on an inflatable obstacle course full of second grade boys. She was actually crazy good at keeping those boys in line. As a “bad cop” myself, I asked if she needed help. “No,” she said, “My shift is almost up and someone is going to relieve me.” That someone NEVER CAME. But she just kept kicking those 2^nd grade behinds – for hours – all in the name of safety, while her poor daughter huddled on the shady side of the obstacle course, hoping no one would associate her with the crazy lady who just kicked my daughter off.

Fast forward to Bingo night. “Oh look, it’s that bad cop again!” There she was, monitoring prizes. Again, no relief shift. Again, no complaining.  She just kept working.

As our kids became good friends, I had more and more opportunity to spend time with those Leishman ladies, and have learned that despite trying to cultivate a rep as a saucy gal, Tricia pretty much never says a bad word about anyone. She is unfailingly charitable to others and really, really good with kids. She volunteers to help when she can’t, she donates money when she shouldn’t, she helps me when she has no business doing it. She talks about her faith more than any other friend I have, and lives it every single day. There is a lot of Jesus talk coming from that one.

And her funny, wry, wise daughter is one of a very short list of reasons my son manages to get himself to school every day, despite the fact that you have to do both sitting AND writing there.

So when I raise my paddle up to support tuition assistance at the auction, I am totally doing it to help other families like theirs have access to an outstanding Catholic education. And to help anyone who might lose their job or their house or their spouse stay with us as long as they would like. But I have to admit, my life would be much more drab and much less hilarious without my friend Tricia, and I am thankful that the gift of tuition assistance brought her to us. 

-- Colleen O'Mahony

Why we should definitely have a parish picnic with a bouncy obstacle course again....

At last year’s auction, everyone got the chance to hear a moving reflection from school parent Tricia Leishman about how tuition assistance has changed her life. Tricia told us all how much better off she and her smart and adorable daughter are because they are part of our school community through tuition assistance.

But that’s just part of the story. See, I would say that while tuition assistance is certainly a gift to the recipient, it may be a greater gift to the rest of us whose lives are enriched by those the Holy Spirit blows our way.  And I will make this case by telling you how much better my life is with Tricia and her daughter in it.

I met Tricia volunteering at the parish picnic in 2010. She was memorable because she had somehow drawn the worst volunteer job ever as “bad cop” on an inflatable obstacle course full of second grade boys. She was actually crazy good at keeping those boys in line. As a “bad cop” myself, I asked if she needed help. “No,” she said, “My shift is almost up and someone is going to relieve me.” That someone NEVER CAME. But she just kept kicking those 2^nd grade behinds – for hours – all in the name of safety, while her poor daughter huddled on the shady side of the obstacle course, hoping no one would associate her with the crazy lady who just kicked my daughter off.

Fast forward to Bingo night. “Oh look, it’s that bad cop again!” There she was, monitoring prizes. Again, no relief shift. Again, no complaining.  She just kept working.

As our kids became good friends, I had more and more opportunity to spend time with those Leishman ladies, and have learned that despite trying to cultivate a rep as a saucy gal, Tricia pretty much never says a bad word about anyone. She is unfailingly charitable to others and really, really good with kids. She volunteers to help when she can’t, she donates money when she shouldn’t, she helps me when she has no business doing it. She talks about her faith more than any other friend I have, and lives it every single day. There is a lot of Jesus talk coming from that one.

And her funny, wry, wise daughter is one of a very short list of reasons my son manages to get himself to school every day, despite the fact that you have to do both sitting AND writing there.

So when I raise my paddle up to support tuition assistance at the auction, I am totally doing it to help other families like theirs have access to an outstanding Catholic education. And to help anyone who might lose their job or their house or their spouse stay with us as long as they would like. But I have to admit, my life would be much more drab and much less hilarious without my friend Tricia, and I am thankful that the gift of tuition assistance brought her to us. 

-- Colleen O'Mahony

A SmartBoard Skeptic Raises Her Paddle

I have to say, I was something of a skeptic when SmartBoards entered the classrooms at St. Clare. I thought, what can they do that a white board, a VCR and a stack of National Geographics can’t do?

Then we started teaching Science Club in the 2^nd grade classroom. And I realized that SmartBoards really change the way I teach for the better. It’s amazingly engaging to have the capacity to access Bill Nye or David Attenborough to make a point, or instantly show footage from the Mars Rover or an octopus camouflaging itself miles undersea. It’s also a really efficient way for all kinds of learners to access information, beyond a one-dimensional lecture or worksheet.

This year’s targeted paddle bid takes this SmartBoard technology to the next level, building upon the basic framework to keep our classroom learning dynamic and multisensory, pulling all kinds of learners into lessons in memorable and exciting ways.

The paddle bid is designed in three tiers:

* Level One adds media tables and document cameras to all existing classroom SmartBoards.

* Level Two adds a SmartBoard to the Art room (I can’t believe there isn’t one there already!) and sound bars to existing classroom set-ups.  (Trust me, they NEED those sounds bars! Those kids are really good about being quiet during video clips but come on.)

*Level 3 adds tablets for each SmartBoard with an app to control the SmartBoard, and the “many millions of other things that one could use it for with students,” as Mr. Irlbeck says. 

Used well, this technology will make learning richer and more accessible to all of our students. I can raise my paddle for that!

– Colleen O’Mahony

Prepare to fall in love with your garden .... um can you say AWESOME!!

Kindergarten Parents SPRING Onto the Scene with a PHENOMENAL Package!

ORAL AUCTION SNEAK PEAK

THE ART OF LANDSCAPING

Click on the image to enlarge (photography donated by Troy Witt)

Click on the image to enlarge (photography donated by Troy Witt)

Newbie parents Anne Green & Salli Schenk really stepped up to the plate this year & pulled together a stunning landscaping package worth $1350 (not to mention a priceless wheelbarrow).  Like most activities at St. Clare, pulling this package together turned into a true community building activity.  It was so great to be a part of this project with all of the new Kindergarten parents, and their unlimited energy and creativity.  We came together as a class to create this one of a kind wheelbarrow, and pooled our resources to bring you the following landscaping package;

GET READY FOR SUMMER!

Spring will be here and of course the first thing you want to do is yard work, right???

No way!!!

This package provides you with the luxury to enjoy those sparse spring days of sunshine while someone else beautifies your property.  Sit back and watch while your yard is prepared for summer.  You will not only have the best looking yard on the block, but you will have a wheelbarrow full of shiny new garden tools plus grilled Omaha steaks, and cocktails to enjoy in your new outdoor paradise after all of the work is done!!

Click on the image to enlarge (photography donated by Troy Witt)

Package consists of:

• An original piece of garden art that doubles as a wheelbarrow!  Thoughtfully decorated by our kindergarten class.  Also includes a  professionally photographed and framed image of the wheelbarrow 
• 5 yards of mulch 
• 5 hours of landscaping services which may include mulch spreading, weeding, planting, edging, mowing, blowing, bush trimming, general clean up, and debris removal 
• Shiny new garden tools to help be more efficient in the yard 
• Garden accessories-gloves, knee pads, tools, etc. 
• $100 gift card to A-Boy, which has a fantastic outdoor nursery and garden supply 
• $25 gift card to Portland Nursery, another local favorite nursery 
• 4 stepping stone kits for the family to create / imprint lasting memories in your yard 
• Birdhouse and sunflower to accent your newly beautified outdoor space 
• $100 gift card to Omaha Steaks 
• Cocktail pitcher and glasses

Um .... like I said, AWESOME, right?  See you on March 10th.


-- Barbara Soulé

 

 

Drop Your Kids and Run with Stephen Schmidt

Science tells us that "absence makes the heart grow fonder" and there is no better way to test this than with Parents Night Out. I love my girls, and I can think of nothing that can strengthen that love more than leaving them with the preschool teachers for the evening so that I can take my lovely wife and hang out with other like-minded adults, eating pizza and drinking beer. And I don't feel bad for those kids, at Parents Night Out they'll have a blast playing in the gym, watching movies and having their own party, while my wife and I socialize with adults talking about anything other than Elmo and Justin Bieber. Can you put a price on that? I can, and that price is $25 per person.  Parents Night Out - strengthening family bonds through healthy separation.  
- Stephen Schmidt

Peter Haney is just a city boy, born and raised in...NJ, Illinois and CA?

It was the typical school dance scene … the cafeteria was decorated with a disco ball and paper streamers.  The guys all stood around on the fringes of the dance floor trying to get up the nerve to dance. It was almost the end of the night when ‘Don’t Stop Believin’!’ came blasting over the PA.  All the girls jumped up, mobbed the dance floor, clung to each other and sang along to Journey.   The guys stayed off the floor and let the girls scream and rock out to the fabled ‘last song of the night.’  Is this a flashback to my awkward freshman year of high school ?  Am I really dating myself here?


No, this was a scene from last year’s prom-themed Father Daughter Dance (and yes, I am dating myself).  It was a great night to throw on a tux and go to a school dance where there were two girls who actually wanted to dance with me.  The DJ rocked the cafeteria all night long. We had a blast doing the chicken-dance, the Macarena, and I was even on the dance floor for a Justin Bieber song (now I am not dating myself).   The volunteers did a great job in keeping the pizza and snacks coming and probably had a good laugh watching their husbands bust-a-move.


Sign up now and come join us this year for the Father Daughter Dance on Friday, April 13th: Dancing with the Dads. Waltz, foxtrot, and swing the night away! You will be in good hands as the wonderful Miss Lisa from Yellow Rose Dance (St. Clare Mom Lisa Kromminga) will be there to teach us all how to do some graceful ballroom dancing.  Dance with the stars and get your Astaire on!  It will be a night of great food, good friends and some stepped-on toes, all for $50 a family.


I promise you it will be the one night of the year where Dads will lead and daughters will have to follow! (Oh, and one other thing … ‘Hold on to that feelin’!)       
-- Peter Haney

REGISTRATION DEADLINE EXTENDED to MARCH 5th. Hmmm...why does that date ring a bell?

In honor of Lizzie O'Mahony's birthday that day? Possible. Just possible. Because Lizzie is a joiner. And she's in the 4th grade class. And as an enthusiastic member of an enthusiastic class that just HAPPENS to be in charge of the auction this year, I think she'd want you there. 


And because she gets a kick out of her parents and her teacher hanging around working on a paddle bid video til all hours that cracks them up -- if no one else -- she'd want you to plan to bring a little extra cash to support tuition assistance and classroom technology. 


And because she loves Harry Potter and has no idea the relative distance between cities in Florida, she might encourage you to bid on that oral package to South Beach. 


And because she loves stuffed animals, she'd like you to consider sending a group to Build-a-Bear with the primary teachers. 


But don't bid on the trip to Caldera. Because Lizzie would actual like her parents to buy that one. Seriously, have you SEEN that house? Unbelievable.


So let's all wish Lizzie a happy tenth birthday on March 5th by REGISTERING FOR THE AUCTION by that date.  Because seriously people, who needs another stuffed animal? 

5th Grade Does It Again .... 3rd Annual Mary Kate Poky Pedal

Once upon a time, a beautiful little girl named Mary Kate Booth skipped through the halls of St. Clare School....

The Mary Kate Poky Pedal is a community bike ride in honor of Mary Kate Booth.  Mary Kate left our physical world in 2009, and for the past three years our St. Clare community has been witness to the impact that this one little person had in her short life.  Mary Kate was a happy girl, a friend, a sister and daughter who brought a smile to everyone's face who knew her.  One of the greatest gifts that she left us with is the gift of love, joy and laughter.  Mary Kate always loved a party (the bigger the better), which is why our 5th grade class continues to host the Poky Pedal.


I encourage all families to join us for this special bike ride, whether you knew Mary Kate or not.  You will truly be amazed by the impact that this little girl had on our community, and you just might feel as lucky as I do to be a part of the St. Clare family when you witness a sea of happy faces filled with laughter and joy in honor of Mary Kate Booth.

-- Barbara Soulé

REGISTER NOW, and don't forget to wear yellow!

Saturday May 12, 2012

Start at Oaks Park

2:00pm - 4:00pm 

$50 per family

click on the image below to enlarge for more details

No excuses for Tricia Leishman

You know you only have one day left to register for the auction, right? With that in mind, Guest Blogger Tricia Leishman offers this inspirational stream of her consciousness:            

Why come to the auction?

1.    All the cool kids will be at the auction. If you want to be a "popular people," you must attend.

2.    What would St. Clare do? I think she would go to the auction. With her date Francis.

3. Peer pressure. It’s pure, it’s simple, and it works. All the Peer Mediatin’ in the world is not going to help you come up with an acceptable excuse NOT to come to the auction. Believe me. I have been trying to come up an excuse for weeks. 

Here are some of my top secretly entertained excuses, which probably should have remained secret, since I am going: 

1.    “I don’t want to get all dressed up and spend money I do not have. And spend money to do it.” My own internal guilt committee retort - You spend money every day you do not have. How about that daily Grande Soy Latte, can you afford that? Or the gym membership you barely use, can you afford that? 

2.    “My best friend, a priest, will be visiting that weekend” Like the addition of a priest would add validity to this complete FABRICATION. 

3.     “I am too fat this year to go to the auction.”  That one is true, and completely logical.

4.    “I am not starring in the auction this year.” It is hard to go from starring in something to simply doing voiceovers on the HILARIOUS technology paddle bid video. Click here to hear my moving tuition assistance paddle bid speech. I'm tearing up now.

5.    “I recently had a tragic surgical misfortune, and I am afraid I can’t lift the paddle bidding device so there is no point in my attending.” Again, true.

6.    “It’s really hard to watch people buy cakes for more money than my entire net worth.”

7.    “I am against Chinese astrology.”

AUCTION REGISTRATION CLOSES THIS TUESDAY FEBRUARY 28th!

That's it. 
That's the message. 
Auction registration closes this Tuesday Feb. 28th. 
You can go now. 
See you later. 

Joanie Quinn will NOT STAY SILENT

I've never lost my competitive nature.  It can be an asset when judging grocery lines and traffic lanes, and it is especially helpful at the Silent Auction.  When there is an item that I covet, and one of my St Clare friends attempts to outbid me, that's it - the gloves are off.  I don't even care who it is; it could be my own husband (yes, we do get two bid numbers, we have an open marriage like that) and I will not let go.  Letting go is for people who don't want to take things home from the Silent Auction!

I like the feel of the hunt in the Silent Auction.  I'll pace the rows and watch for just the right moment to make my move.  Some people don't take the bidding seriously and start chatting - I sneak up behind them and raise that bid.  I get a particular thrill raising bids in the last minute of the Silent.  My husband calls this maneuver "Why Did We Get All This Stuff?"  Well, I tell him,  "Honey, WE WON IT!"

Come on Down!!!

Most of us will never get the chance to win an Oscar. Or The Price is Right. But for three of us, there is a very special moment coming. The moment when you hear Mrs. Monahan call your name and you sprint to the front of the room and claim your prize: a new Sony Cyber-shot Camera, a 46” HGTV or a week in Kona!

I don’t know about you, but I can see that victory lap in slow-mo. It is beautiful. And the price of admission? Just $25. Buy those raffle tickets and experience GLORY.

(Reminder: Tickets should be sold or turned in by March 7th.)

Movie Shoot Ends with Pregnant Star's Hospitalization

Word on the street is that this year's paddle bid movie is so action-packed that Thursday's shoot ended with one star in the hospital.

Sources confirm Lillian Kidwell was rushed to the hospital Thursday afternoon. "One minute they were filming and the next minute she was whisked away," one witness says. "Those ladies were running around like chickens with their heads cut off." While hospital sources would not confirm the story, a spokeswoman for Ms. Kidwell did say that an on-set mishap led to a trip to the hospital for routine baby monitoring, and that mother and baby are fine. "This is a star who does all her own stunts," her spokeswoman said, "and mistakes can happen." Co-stars Nancy Melzer and Marie Acurso, who were reportedly also on the set, are fine.

The drama is just the latest on the set of the highly secretive movie produced by Bethany MacNeur and Colleen and Frank O'Mahony. While their films are known for physical comedy, in-jokes and a fetishization of the popular 80s dance, The Robot, this year's film is reportedly filled with more stunts and special effects than any previous. The blogosphere is wild with rumors about this film, which insiders have speculated may be either a  Bollywood-style musical set in the Old West or a 3-D mime adventure.

The only way to see the film is to ATTEND THE AUCTION MARCH 10th at the TIffany Center in Downtown Portland. Will Ms. Kidwell make an appearance? Will Baby Kidwell steal the show? Get a front row seat to all the drama; register today.

Have a milkshake with Christian Troche

When I want to feel good about myself, I take my kids to their favorite Mexican restaurant. They order chicken tortillas, beans, and rice, and I order a chocolate milkshake. I love to watch the emotions pass over their faces: surprise, wonder, envy. Each time, they ask why I can have a milkshake for dinner and they cannot.  My reply comes with no small amount of self-satisfaction: "I do this because I can and because I want to."

I get the same feeling when I contribute to St. Clare’s tuition assistance programs. And so can you. Consider how wonderful the St. Clare schools really are, and the positive impact they have on you and your children. Then go to the auction, and during the tuition assistance bidding, raise your head high and your paddle higher, and give the gift of a St. Clare education to a family that could use a little help. Say to yourself, "I do this because I can and because I want to."  You will feel good about this, especially when you hit the drive-thru on the ride home for a late-night milkshake.

--Christian Troche

What do Tricia Leishman and Lil Wayne have in common?

Ladies, you ain't got a thing if you ain't got some BLING.

I would NOT sign up for this awesome BLINGO party if I were you. There is only $500 worth of jewelry to be given away, and if you divide that up by the remaining 39 spots available, that doesn’t leave much booty for you as an individual; but it does leave a whole lot more for me personally. I have lots of practice individually manning multiple bingo cards from St. Clare Bingo Night. I think me and all my personalities can handle this  BLINGO  party all on our own. Cha-Ching!

--Tricia

Book a Spot Today at the Tennis Sign-up Event

We are used to passing them in the halls, chatting casually after Mass, and admiring Susie’s effortless California-girl style, but college tennis coaches Aaron Gross, Susie Campbell-Gross and Pat Dreves are serious celebs on the local tennis scene.  Inspire your little Agassis and Grafs to a challenging and fun Tennis Clinic Sign-Up Event at the Lewis and Clark indoor courts on Sunday May 20th. For just $35 a child, kids from all grades will get a 90-minute clinic including snacks and drinks. Venus- and Serena-inspired ensembles optional.


Register today for the Auction and Sign-Up Events!

Auction Guest Blogger Stephen Schmidt Loves Free Dresses

Free Dress for a Day is giving my child the opportunity to express herself in her own clothing for a day, giving me an extra day to let her uniform sit in a crumpled, dirty heap in at the bottom of the laundry pile. For the low cost of $40 per family, my daughters get a day out of their uniform, and I get to procrastinate. Thanks to Free Dress for a Day, I can focus on collecting box tops. To be honest, as a father of three girls, I was disappointed to discover that the Free Dress for a Day was not offering to give my child an actual garment. However, not having to have to find matching shoes was a relief.     
- Stephen "Boxtops" Schmidt

Save the Day! Be an Auction Superhero

Procurement Push! We are facing a critical shortage of all kinds of auction items. If each family can step up and find 2 items, we will be back on track. It can be as simple as asking for a couple of free lattes from the coffee shop you frequent every morning, or a free month of gymnastics from your kids’ gym, or a week at your in-law’s time share! Asking for a “buy one get one” or similar deal can also help – you can score a great deal AND save the day. And remember, each item you procure is an entry in the procurement contest for a new Kindle Fire!

Procurement forms are available in the school and preschool offices or you can donate online.