2023 SAEF online auction draws 223 bidders and raises $22,000 

by Jennifer Hammerberg

The Stockbridge Area Educational Foundation’s annual auction fundraiser was a great success again this year. The event raised almost $22,000, thanks to the participation and generosity of donors, sponsors and bidders. The auction ran online for one week, March 11 to March 18, and items were picked up from Heritage School on Sunday, March 19.

An astounding 223 people registered to bid on the 176 items donated by businesses and individuals.  Donors and sponsorships hailed from as far away as Georgia, here in the States, and even from across the border in Canada. Closer by, donors stepped up from Chelsea, Dexter, Jackson, Lansing, and of course all the communities served by the Stockbridge School District.

SAEF has been holding a fundraising event in the month of March for the past 20 years, with the exception of 2020 when the auction had to be cancelled at the last minute due to COVID. Prior to that, SAEF had always hosted an in-person Festival of Tables event with a catered dinner and a silent and live auction.

The newer online format has enabled access to a wider audience and has significantly reduced the overhead costs.

In the future, SAEF would like to bring back the Festival of Tables in a way that supports the online auction and provides the community with a chance to get together. Many ideas are being considered, including collaborating with other local nonprofits, having an event offsite, or focusing on auction pick-up day to hold a party.

Please help SAEF thank their donors by doing business with them when you can. The list of donors and sponsors is available in the accompanying SAEF ad in this issue of the Stockbridge Community News. If you have ideas, comments or suggestions, please feel free to send them to SAEF via Stockbridgefoundation@gmail.com.