Private school auction benefits dot.com programs

5/1/2000

Computers and keyboards painted gold, silicon chips and floppy disks, and maybe a mouse or two jumbled into sculpture and softened with orchids created a high-tech atmosphere for "auction@mvcds.com" to benefit technology programs at Maumee Valley Country Day School.

The techno-dinner auction was held Friday evening at the school. Invitations looked like CDs and included information for online registration for the auction.

Chairwoman Becky Kasperzak - in a halo of computer chips - and her worker bees - in black T-shirts and pants -had everything down to a science. Tony and Debbie Knight were honorary chairs.

Cocktails and hors d'oeuvres started at 6:30 sharp with plenty of time for browsing silent auction with items - from fine wines, art, accessories, and services to familiy outings, and sports excursions including stays at The Breakers in Palm Beach, The Homestead, Hot Springs, Va., and Kiawah Island Resort.

Dinner highlights were the green salad sculpture, almond-crusted chicken, and mandarin orange charlotte with mint sauce. Most thrilling was the live auction with bidding wars that drove student art to a premium - not computer-generated pieces but mosaics, ceramics, prints, and more.

Proud parents vied for art by their children - ages of students attending the private school range from 3 to 18.

Technology aside, there were a lot of power sources present including Mary and Walt Krueger, Yolanda and John Szuch, Jane and Bob Anspach, the Sawicki clan, and Dean Kasperzak.

Also seen were Colleen and Marty Skie, Tracy and Nabil Ebraheim, Jeff and Elisa Cooley, Michelle and John Garrity, Betsy and Reeve Kelsey, Jan Sullivan and Jim Edmunds, Michelle and Craig Joseph, LuAnne and John Hodges, Kathleen and Mark Frasco, and Weezie and Blake Stoddard.

Barbara Hendel is the Blade's society writer.