New Canaan Country School Community Gathers At Auction Fundraiser

From New Canaan Country School: More than 300 New Canaan Country School parents, faculty and staff gathered for A Country Night Under the Stars biennial dinner and auction, held on campus, April 28. Hay bales, burlap tablecloths and Western-themed decor set a comfortable, casually elegant tone in the party tent, while a mechanical bull ride and live music performed by Doug Allen and his band provided high-energy entertainment.

The evening began with a toast from Head of School Robert Macrae who noted that it was a unique and wonderful opportunity for the adults to enjoy the use of the beautiful, 75-acre campus. He went on to thank event co-chairs Susan Barr of Darien, and Sarah Irwin and Mariko LeBaron, both of New Canaan, for organizing the seated dinner, auction and entertainment and for their tireless and on-going work on behalf of the school.

President of the Board of Trustees Randy Salvatore of New Canaan spoke next about the warmth of the school community and how everyone contributes in ways large and small to making it a welcoming place for the children and their families.

President of the Parents’ Association Marisa DiBiasio of Darien and President-elect Tara Coniglio of New Canaan concluded the welcoming remarks and introduced the evening’s master of ceremonies, auctioneer Quig Bruning. Bruning kicked off the live auction with the assistance of Upper School Head Alex Wellman who held up bottles of New Canaan Country School maple syrup, the first of several home-made items available during the evening which included a row boat, an outdoor shed, a lemonade stand, and iSpy tables made in the school’s woodworking shop, all of which were popular amongst silent bidders.

A highlight of the live auction was a paint-splattered, drop cloth from the school’s art department which had been cleverly framed, mounted and repurposed into three enormous pieces of art, reminiscent of the works of Pollock and De Kooning.

In addition to the three canvasses which were whimsically titled Child’s Play No. 1, 2 and 3, the live auction also featured 11 additional items including a girl’s weekend in New York City with award-winning actress and Country School alumna Allison Williams ’03, along with other fun experiences.

The Auction committee consisted of the following school parent, faculty & staff volunteers: Arlety Campos and Sharon Teles (Auction - Live Co-Chairs); Jaime Overman and Molly Reilly(Auction - Silent Co-Chairs); Lauren Gargiulo, Cindy Havens, Tara LeClerc, Christa McNamara, Kristin McClutchy, Beth Novak, Bonnie Rumilly and Kathryn Sellschop (Auction - Silent Committee); Lisa Pannone and Jennifer Kearney (Advertising); Kerry Hanson and Jennifer Kurtz (Decorations Co-Chairs); Nancy Israelov, Mary Jo Salgado, Lindsay Murawski, Beth Novak, Lauren Ryder and Ashley Williams (Decorations Committee); Kelley Barnett and Jen Hagen (Entertainment); Jennifer Kurtz (Food); Liz Keogh, Taryn Sorenson and Caitlin Walsh (Faculty Donations); Gwen Golden and Katie McCormick (FUNd a Need); Allison Ryan (Graphic Design/Logo); Chelsea Staniar (Marketing); Renee Bornstein (Staff/PA Liaison); Liz Ferran and Nicole Intile (Student Art); Claire Salvatore and Emily Warren (Table Seating/Name Tags); Jenny Harrington and Lisa Pannone (Volunteers).

Following a spirited night of bidding, guests took to the dance floor or tried their skill atop the mechanical bull. Proceeds support financial aid, faculty development and program enhancements at the Pre-K through Grade 9 school.

New Canaan Country School is a co-ed, independent school for students in Pre-K (ages 3 & 4) through Grade 9. Located in New Canaan, the school provides transportation to families living throughout Westchester and Fairfield Counties. For more information about the school, please visit: www.countryschool.net.

Photo: New Canaan Country School’s biennial dinner and auction, A Country Night Under the Stars, held on-campus April 28, was co-chaired by (from left to right) Mariko LeBaron of New Canaan, Susan Barr of Darien and Sarah Irwin of New Canaan. Photo credit: New Canaan Country School

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