PORTSMOUTH-Notre Dame (ND) Schools are preparing for their annual major fundraising tradition, Bid Your Heart Out. The event is a dinner auction in its 18th year, set to raise funding for the schools and their mission of educating youth, providing extracurricular activities, and more for over 200 Catholic students in each of their buildings.

“Our BYHO auction continues to be a highly attended and very successful yearly event,” ND’s Matt Mader said. “We have been limited the last two years to being exclusively online due to Covid restrictions but we are excited to be able to get back in person for this year’s hybrid event.”

The auction frequently showcases a wide variety of auction prizes that the community anticipates.

“This year’s event again will include some of the bidding favorites of the past such as our ‘Works of Heart,’ which are one of a kind art pieces created by the students of Notre Dame that are showcased and bid on as part of our silent auction. We also have a ‘Class Basket’ category that is a collection of themed items donated by families of each grade level which is very exciting when they’re unveiled. Another popular category that is part of our silent auction are the ‘Hot Items.’ These items are donated by families & businesses of our local community,” Mader explained. “These three categories of items will get auctioned off and closed out after our Grand Auction ends. Our grand auction normally includes between 25-30 in number which showcase extraordinary packages and offer unique items and memorable experiences including popular events, places, trips or items.”

The auction will be an entertaining event and feature a really unique twist for one lucky winner. The winner will be announced just before the grand auction begins and will give them an upper-hand against other bidders.

“A newer twist brought back this year to our split the pot is what we call our ‘golden ticket,’ Mader said. “If you are the winner of the golden ticket, you get to choose one of our grand auction packages or half of the pot.”

Golden tickets are only $50, which is a pittance in comparison to some auction items.

The hybrid auction will be live online prior to the event and the items come in a wide array of value, so everyone can participate.

“This year, we have a variety of new and exciting items that will fit everyone’s budget. We have been previewing our grand auction packages this past week or so on our Notre Dame school’s Facebook page and we will go live with all our items on Tuesday, February 7 at 5 p.m.,” Mader said. “This is where you will be able to start the bidding process and lock in your bid. All items and packages will be closed out at our live event on Saturday, Feb 11th starting at 6pm at Shawnee State University.”

Bid Your Heart Out will be February 11, 6 p.m., at the Shawnee State University University Center. Tickets are $50 per person and this includes dinner, drink tickets, dancing and more.

“We are very excited to combine our in-person event that became so popular over the first 16 years with what we have done the last two years, with an exclusively online auction,” Mader said. “We are hoping to include as many bidders as possible whether it be from the comfort of your own home locally or out of town or we hope that you can join us in person for an evening of fun and enjoy a great meal, drinks and dancing as we come together to support our schools.”

Reach Joseph Pratt at (740) 353-3101, by email at [email protected], © 2022 Portsmouth Daily Times, all rights reserved