‘Sweet’ fundraiser to benefit Niles Adventist School

Published 8:40 pm Tuesday, February 1, 2011

The Niles Adventist School has a sweet pairing coming up with the “How Sweet it Is: Chocolate Extravaganza and Silent Auction” Saturday, Feb. 13 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the school.

The school has been hosting a silent auction for six years but recently began pairing the event with a sampling of specially made chocolates.

This is the second year the two events have been held together to raise funds.

“In the past we’ve raised money for technology for our school,” said Staci Fagal, home and school group coordinator. “So we were able to put projectors in every classroom, with DVD players; the teachers have their own laptop computers; (there are) computer lab stations in every classroom.”

This year, Fagal said the school is hoping to raise money toward a renovation of the girls’ restroom.

“We don’t have a hard number on what we’re going to need,” she said. “In the past, we’ve raised about $5,000, so we’re hoping to beat that.”

A number of items have been donated for the silent auction by local and area businesses including a 32-inch flat-screen TV, a Blu Ray disc player and memberships to the Berrien County Parks and the Y in Niles.

Auction items will be set up on tables which will be timed for bidding to close every 15 or 20 minutes, Fagal said. Meanwhile, attendants can also take advantage of “a sampling of a variety of decadent chocolate,” made in-house at the school.

An estimated 300 people have turned out for the event in the past, Fagal said. As for this year, she added, “I think we could easily support 400 people.”

The event is open to the public. Tickets are $5 prior to the event and $7 at the door.

For tickets, contact the school at 683-5444 or an NAS student, or go online at www.nilesadventistschool.org.