As you know our 9th Annual Tricky Tray and Auction will be held on Saturday evening, February 11th at the hall in St. Joseph’s Church in Maplewood. Please mark your calendar and save the date. You won’t want to miss this incredibly fun event. Reservation forms will be sent out in early January.

Last year we raised almost $26,000 at our Tricky Tray/Auction and this year, of course, we want to do even better! The money raised at this event each year has been responsible for major purchases including playground equipment, rock climbing wall in our gymnasium and a complete audio/visual renovation of our auditorium.

WE ARE NOW COLLECTING PRIZES AND WE NEED YOUR HELP.

DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO DONATE?

We also rely heavily on you to help us collect prizes. Here are some ways you can help:

START WITH YOUR EMPLOYER
In recent years Clinton parents have donated items such a Tiffany bracelet, Cirque de Soleil tickets, books, electronics, clothes and accessories. Some companies are willing to donate merchandise and others are prepared to offer a sizable discount. If this is the case, please let us know. In the past we have used a Clinton parent’s employee discount at Macy’s to purchase a slew of great prizes. Prizes in the electronics category are always a big hit, so if you have any connections in that area, please let us know. We have a letter than can be used to solicit donations. Let us know if you’d like a copy.

DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT OR SKILL?
Turn it into a prize! Some ideas: If you’re an accomplished tennis player, offer a one-hour private lesson. If you can bake, a decorated birthday cake would be a fabulous prize, if you are a fabulous cook, you can prepare and deliver a meal for four.

DO YOU LIKE TO ENTERTAIN?
How about throwing a theme party? You pick the date, time, and theme, and we’ll auction off the invitations. Have you always wanted to host a Mystery Dinner? Mystery guests will make it all the more fun! Do you make a mean margarita? How about putting together a Cinco de Mayo party? The possibilities are endless for this prize—and oh so much fun!

THERE’S NO SHAME IN REGIFTING
Did your child receive two of the same Wii games for his birthday? Instead of letting one collect dust, donate it to the Tricky Tray. Did someone give you a gift card you’ll never use? Someone can use it.

WHO DO YOU KNOW?
An autographed script or backstage tour is always a popular prize. A few years ago Clinton parents starring in Broadway productions of Hair, Wicked, and The Little Mermaid offered backstage tours. A Sopranos script signed by all the featured actors brought in big bucks another year.

WEEKEND GETAWAYS
Do you have a time-share or vacation home that you can spare for a weekend? Is there a hotel you stay at frequently that might offer a sizable discount? Please let us know!

The possibilities are endless and no prize is too big or too small. Contact Cecelia Cancellaro by email or phone 973-763-1730 if you have a prize to donate or if you are willing to be a part of our Tricky Tray committee.

We have begun planning for our biggest fundraiser of the year: The Clinton PTA 9th Annual Tricky Tray and Auction.

This year our Tricky Tray will be held on Saturday evening, February 11th, at the hall in St. Joseph’s Church in Maplewood. Please mark your calendar and save the date. You won’t want to miss this incredibly fun event.

Last year we raised almost $26,000 at our Tricky Tray/Auction and this year, of course, we want to do even better! The money raised at this event each year has been responsible for major purchases including playground equipment, rock climbing wall in our gymnasium and a complete audio/visual renovation of our auditorium.

This event is a major undertaking and we are the only PTA in our area brave enough to host one every year but,

WE NEED YOUR HELP!
If you would like to volunteer to be a part of our committee, please contact Cecelia Cancellaro (ccancellaro@verizon.net) as soon as possible. We especially need help soliciting prizes, working a shift the night of the event, and being part of a clean-up committee. Contact Cecelia for more details.

We also rely heavily on you to help us collect prizes. Here are some ways you can help:

START WITH YOUR EMPLOYER
In recent years Clinton parents have donated items such a Tiffany bracelet, Cirque de Soleil tickets, books, electronics, clothes and accessories. Some companies are willing to donate merchandise and others are prepared to offer a sizable discount. If this is the case, please let us know. In the past we have used a Clinton parent’s employee discount at Macy’s to purchase a slew of great prizes. Prizes in the electronics category are always a big hit, so if you have any connections in that area, please let us know. We have a letter than can be used to solicit donations. Let us know if you’d like a copy.

DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT OR SKILL?
Turn it into a prize! Some ideas: If you’re an accomplished tennis player, offer a one-hour private lesson. If you can bake, a decorated birthday cake would be a fabulous prize, if you are a fabulous cook, you can prepare and deliver a meal for four.

DO YOU LIKE TO ENTERTAIN?
How about throwing a theme party? You pick the date, time, and theme, and we’ll auction off the invitations. Have you always wanted to host a Mystery Dinner? Mystery guests will make it all the more fun! Do you make a mean margarita? How about putting together a Cinco de Mayo party? The possibilities are endless for this prize—and oh so much fun!

THERE’S NO SHAME IN REGIFTING
Did your child receive two of the same Wii games for his birthday? Instead of letting one collect dust, donate it to the Tricky Tray. Did someone give you a gift card you’ll never use? Someone can use it.

WHO DO YOU KNOW?
An autographed script or backstage tour is always a popular prize. A few years ago Clinton parents starring in Broadway productions of Hair, Wicked, and The Little Mermaid offered backstage tours. A Sopranos script signed by all the featured actors brought in big bucks another year.

WEEKEND GETAWAYS
Do you have a time-share or vacation home that you can spare for a weekend? Is there a hotel you stay at frequently that might offer a sizable discount? Please let us know!

The possibilities are endless and no prize is too big or too small.

Contact Cecelia Cancellaro (ccancellaro@verizon.net/973-763-1730) if you have a prize to donate or if you are willing to be a part of our Tricky Tray committee.

Our 8th Annual Tricky Tray/Auction was record-breaking! Thanks to the generosity of our amazing school community, we raised just shy of $26K for Clinton School!

Thank you so much for supporting this event with your prize donations, your attendance, your help, and your enthusiastic response to our raffles and auctions.

It takes a special kind of community to pull this off and the Clinton School community definitely rocks!
Not only were there many current Clinton families in attendance, but there were many families of children who’ve already graduated, as well as families whose children still have a year or two to go before they attend Clinton.

Many, many people need to be thanked. In addition, you’ll notice that many local businesses and many parents who own local businesses supported the event. Please thank them the next time you visit their shops or use their services. We are very grateful for their generosity.

And also thank these people:

* Patty O’Neill and Ann Bodnar, for donating fabulous prizes and for their consistent willingness to partner with the Clinton PTA so that we can make Clinton School as incredible as it is.Their leadership makes Clinton a very special place

* Clinton teachers and staff, who donated many extremely popular teacher prizes, raised money to donate a Kindle to our silent auction, and came out to support the event on Saturday in big numbers.

* Our PTA President and Vice President, Jung Lee Masters and Elizabeth Aaron, for working very closely with us to organize and run the event.
They, too, are great leaders and work tirelessly on behalf of our students.

* Our Tricky Tray Committee. Thanks to this fabulous team, our biggest Tricky Tray ever (306 guests) ran very smoothly. From soliciting prizes to buying supplies to transporting prizes to setting up and decorating the space, to working their butts off the night of the event, to cleaning up, they did it all and they did it all excellently! Many thanks to Jung Lee Masters, Elizabeth Aaron, Patty O’Connell, Karen Betheil, Sharon Geraghty, Tammy Dandino, Janet Trzaska, Amy Janay, Nancy Friedman, Barbara Cokorinos, Mary Barber, Liz Herring, Jackie Lahey, Tammy Haynie, Sue Lunde, Shanta Gyan, Alanna Munoz, Laurie Tarkan, Keli Tianga and Rosanna McCrear.

* Heather Kern, who has been taking on the huge task of program design for many years (in addition to the many, many other things she does for Clinton) and who is always calm, organized, and wildly creative.

* Derek Romanaux and Jeremy Moss for their many years of emceeing and DJing. Derek has an exhausting job at TT and he is always wonderful.
This year, he also emceed the event on his birthday! Happy Birthday Derek! Jeremy always knows how to set the right mood and everyone is always thrilled with his selections.

* Kathleen Hong stepped in, with little notice, and designed gorgeous live auction posters for us.

* St. James Gate donated beer, Maplewood Stationers gave us balloons (and a $50 Lottery Tree), and Alex and Deidre Silberman of Great NJ Properties subsidized the cost of the wine for the evening.

* Clinton School families…we have the most generous, supportive, committed, talented, and creative families on the planet. Thanks for all of your support and for making it possible to do as much as we do on a regular basis for our students. No other school in our district has an auction every year and still manages to have an All School Musical Revue, an After School Enrichment Program, build a parade float, and host a School Fair, a Storytelling Night, a Pumpkin Patch, a Craft Fair, book fairs, and an International Dinner.

Many, many thanks,
Cecelia Cancellaro and Leah Gomberg

Here it is the 2011 Tricky Tray Program and prize listing. Now’s your chance to get a sneak peek at all the offerings.

Check it out here.

As you know the Clinton PTA 8th Annual Tricky Tray/Auction is fast approaching (Saturday, February 12th, at St. Joseph’s Church in Maplewood from 6 to 10:30 pm).

We already have 265 reservations! If you plan on coming, please reserve in advance so we can be sure we have enough seats, and enough wine and beer. Remember, this is an adults only event and only CASH and CHECKS are accepted that night. Contact Karen Betheil here about reservations.

You can find the reservation form here

SOME IMPORTANT REMINDERS ABOUT THE EVENING:

* ONLY CASH AND CHECKS ARE ACCEPTED

* WE PROVIDE BEER, WINE, SODA, DESSERT, NAPKINS, AND CUPS

* YOU SHOULD FEEL FREE TO BRING YOUR OWN FOOD, PAPER GOODS, UTENSILS, ETC.

* WE SET UP AND BREAK DOWN THE EVENT ON OUR OWN SO WHEN YOU LEAVE THAT NIGHT PLEASE CLEAR YOUR TABLE OF ANYTHING YOU’VE BROUGHT WITH YOU. WE WILL HAVE BIG TRASH BAGS FOR YOU TO USE. YOUR HELP WITH CLEAN-UP IS GREATLY APPRECIATED.

* THERE ARE SEVERAL KINDS OF RAFFLES, AUCTIONS. PLEASE READ EMAIL SENT LAST WEEK FOR INSTRUCTIONS

We have truly awesome prizes this year. Please check out our LIVE AUCTION prizes in advance since some require you to check your calendar. You can view our LIVE AUCTION PRIZES here:

Below are a few more of our silent auction categories. Below you can preview our Clinton School Prizes (always extremely popular) our Electronics Prizes, and our Getaways. More categories will be posted in the coming days.

SILENT AUCTION

Clinton school prizes

CL1 Lunch and a Movie with Principal Patty O’Neill and Assistant
Principal Ann Bodnar for your child and two friends. Contact Ms.
O’Neill or Ms. Bodnar to arrange a mutually agreeable date and to select a movie. Value: Priceless

CL2 Principal for a Day with Principal Patty O’Neill. Guided by Super
Principal Patty O’Neill, one lucky student will handle many principal responsibilities, including morning announcements, checking in on classrooms, and various tasks involving a walkie-talkie! Contact Ms. O’Neill to set up a mutually agreeable date. Value: Priceless

CL3 Pizza Lunch at Clinton School with Art Teacher Christine Tischio and Music Teacher Rebecca Jacobsen for your child and three friends.
Contact Ms. Tischio or Ms. Jacobsen to set up a mutually agreeable date. Value: Priceless

CL4 Silly Hat/Ice Cream Party at Clinton School with Second Grade
Teachers Joanna Leach and Paula Ortiz for your child and four friends from 2:35 to 3:05 pm on a weekday. Contact Ms. Leach or Ms. Ortiz to
set up a mutually agreeable date. Value: Priceless

CL5 Five 45-Minute Swimming Lessons for a Child (4 years and older)
with 5th Grade Teacher and Swimming Instructor Extraordinaire Debra Ceccacci. Lessons will be in a small group and will take place during the summer in an outdoor pool. Contact Ms. Ceccacci to arrange a mutually agreeable date. Value: $120

CL6 One 90-Minute Tutoring Session with 5th Grade Teacher Debra
Ceccacci to take place at Clinton School on a weekday after school. Contact Ms. Ceccacci to arrange a mutually agreeable date. Value:
Priceless

CL7 Lunch at Clinton School with the Teachers of 4F², Yolande Fleming and Joseph Ferriero, for your child and one friend. Contact Ms.
Fleming or Mr. Ferriero to arrange a mutually agreeable date. Value:
Priceless

CL8 One 3-Hour Teen Drama Class. Teen Drama, founded by Clinton teacher Joseph Ferriero and Michele Sarnoski, runs classes throughout
the school year and summer throughout the state of New Jersey. The program develops students’ theatrical skills and artistic abilities
while promoting awareness of theatre and performing arts in the community. If winner uses prize during one of Teen Drama’s camps, child will have a walk-on role in camp musical production! Click here to see the offerings at . Contact Mr. Ferriero to
schedule. Value: Priceless

CL9 One-Hour Birthday Party at Your Home (or a space you’ve rented)
with Physical Education Teachers Jordyn Freede and Jeff Lehman. Clinton’s wildly popular phys ed teachers will provide a one-hour birthday party at your house (or a space you’ve rented), with awesome games and activities. Contact Mr. Lehman or Ms. Freede to set up a
mutually agreeable date. Value: Priceless

CL10 Ice Cream Party At Clinton School with Kindergarten Teacher Lara Moskowitz for your child and one friend from 2:35 to 3:05 pm on a weekday. Contact Ms. Moskowitz to set up a mutually agreeable date.
Value: Priceless

CL11 Ice Cream Party At Clinton School with Kindergarten Teacher Robin Ross for your child and one friend from 2:35 to 3:05 pm on a weekday. Contact Ms. Ross to set up a mutually agreeable date. Value: Priceless

CL12 Ice Cream Party At Clinton School with Kindergarten Teachers Cris Swan and Arlene Aguirre for your child and one friend from 2:35 to
3:05 pm on a weekday. Contact Ms. Swan to set up a mutually agreeable
date. Value: Priceless

CL13 Ice Cream Party At Clinton School with Kindergarten Teacher Kathy Shelffo for your child and one friend from 2:35 to 3:05 pm on a weekday. Contact Ms. Swan to set up a mutually agreeable date. Value:
Priceless

CL14 Pizza Lunch at Clinton School with 4th Grade Teacher Susan Froelich for your child and two friends. Contact Ms. Froelich to set
up a mutually agreeable date. Value: Priceless

CL15 After School Fiesta, including snacks, prizes, and games, with Clinton Spanish Teachers Senora Zobeida Perez and Senora Alison Bekedahl Gallart for your child and five friends on a weekday afternoon (2:35 until 3:30). Contact Senora Perez to set up a mutually
agreeable date. Value: Priceless

CL16 Bagel and Muffin Breakfast at Clinton School with Enrichment Teacher Denise King for your child and a friend on a Friday morning at 7:30 pm. Contact Ms. King to set up a mutually agreeable date.
Value: Priceless

CL17 After School Party at Clinton School with 5th Grade Teacher
Nicole Toto for your child and two friends. Party will include snacks, prizes, and games and will take place on a weekday from 2:35 to 3:05 pm. Please contact Ms. Toto to set up a mutually agreeable date.
Value: Priceless

CL18 One-Hour Story Time with Ms. Jennifer Latimer of the Clinton School Library. Story Time can take place at a party or small gathering. Please contact Ms. Latimer to set up a mutually agreeable date. Value: Priceless

CL19 Newly Designed Clinton School Long-Sleeved T-Shirt (Youth Size Medium) signed by Clinton faculty and staff. Value: Priceless

CL20 Wonderland Tea Party at Clinton School with Third Grade Teachers Stefanie Izzolino and Natasha Pomares for your child and three friends
from 2:35 to 3:05 pm on a weekday. Contact Ms. Izzolino or Ms. Pomares to set up a mutually agreeable date. Value: Priceless

Electronics

E1 Memorex Compact Progressive Scan DVD Player. Value: $40

E2 Epson WorkForce 520 Wireless All-In-One Printer, Copier, Scanner,
Fax. Donated by the Gomberg family. Value: $130

E3 Flip Video – UltraHD Camcorder, Flip battery pack, and Lowepro Flip
case. Donated by the Clinton PTA Executive Board. Value: $175

E4 RCA Portable (7”) Widescreen Digital TV. Donated by the Clarke,
Hargrove, Haynie, Lunde, Ricci, and Williams Families. Value: $70

E5 Kindle Wireless Reading Device, Speck Kindle cover, and eBook
Lite.
Donated by Clinton teachers and staff. Value: $170

Getaways

G1 One Night Weekend Stay and Breakfast for Two at the Princeton
Marriott Hotel and Conference Center in Princeton, New Jersey and breakfast for two the following morning in the Homestate Café.
Value: $300

G2 A Time for Two Evening at the Doral Arrowwood in Rye Brook, New York.
Includes overnight accommodations for two guests on a Friday or Saturday night, plus breakfast for two in the Atrium Restaurant, and a Rowenta First Class steam compact travel iron. Value: $325

G3 Two Round Trip Tickets to Perch Home’s Guided Shopping Expedition to Renninger’s Antique Flea Market in Amish Country on Friday, April 29th. Winner will receive round trip transportation for two on a luxury bus, breakfast, snacks, and champagne as well as personal shopping assistance from Perch Home’s Michele Bessey (who was recently featured in O Magazine). Bus departs early in the morning and arrives back to Maplewood that evening. Value: $190

We’ll see you on Saturday night!!!

Over the coming days, we will be posting information about our big Tricky Tray event. Go the the flyers and forms section to read more. Today we are posting some of the live auction items. Good stuff!