Curious how the annual Menlo fundraiser went? Read below to find out. Photo by Menlo School.
by Kate Jeffries
Watch the clip above for a quick overview of what the fundraiser looked like. Video by Kate Jeffries.
On the night of March 25, 2017, over 489 Menlo parents and faculty gathered together for the annual auction in support of financial aid at Menlo.
This year’s theme, Menlo Libre, allowed for the guests to escape to a “Knight in Havana” filled with vibrant colors, lively music, and an overall joyful mood. As the guests entered the gym from the Middle School campus, they were greeted by a variety of students dressed as street performers and vendors, which automatically set the tone for the rest of the night. Upon entrance, the men were handed chocolate cigars and the women were given flowers for their hair as they walked through a staged Havana street.
After they passed the drummers, antique cars, and dancers on stilts, the guests made their way to “Club Havana,” more commonly known as the West Gym. Guests socialized and bought raffle tickets in “Club Havana” from when they arrived until dinner was served in the main gym around seven. There were minor technically difficulties surrounding the sound system, delaying the live auction slightly, yet the cheery mood did not fade. There were 17 items in the live auction ranging from courtside Warriors seats and Hamilton tickets to luxury trips to Capri, Punta Mita, Santa Fe, and many more once in a lifetime experiences. In addition to the 17 live auction items, there were 220 online auction items available for the entire Menlo community, even those who were unable to attend the live auction.
In the live auction alone, Menlo Libre raised over one million dollars for financial aid at Menlo, allowing for our student body to continue to be filled with students whom are truly deserving of a Menlo education.