Local organizations are preparing a full lineup of fundraisers for this year’s Weekend of Giving — but community members won’t have to choose between them.
The annual tradition includes fundraisers for St. Mary’s School, Young Life Steele County and Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) of Southern Minnesota, offering three unique ways to support local kids.
The Weekend of Giving schedule makes it possible for people to attend all three events in succession.
Michelle Redman, executive director of BBBS, said scheduling the fundraisers over one weekend increases participation in all of them. Considering the flurry of activities people have to balance throughout spring and summer, they’ve chosen to coordinate their events for years, allowing community members to block off one weekend rather than three.
Bowl for Kids’ Sake
BBBS is up first this weekend, with Bowl for Kids’ Sake taking place Friday evening at Spare Time Entertainment. The event is unique in that it’s more of an after-party than a traditional fundraiser.
By the time the lanes open on Friday, all of the money for the campaign will already be in — and it will be time to celebrate.
Redman said they have 45 bowling teams signed up. Each team reserves a lane for one hour, and there are around 25 remaining times slots available. Bowlers create fundraising pages to share with friends and family prior to the event.
Redman stressed it’s never too late to sign up, as teams typically raise the bulk of their funds shortly after sending out fundraising messages.
BBBS is hoping to raise $87,500.
That money will go toward recruiting more mentors to match with local kids, and supporting matches throughout the year. Redman said supporting each match costs the agency around $1,200 a year, which is actually significantly lower than the nationwide average for other agencies.
BBBS is bringing back last year’s theme, “Bowl Through the Decades,” encouraging each team to don costumes from an era of their choice. Redman will be participating in the fun with the BBBS staff team.
“We’re bringing back the ‘80s with the neon and the leg warmers,” she chuckled.
She encouraged the public to attend, noting BBBS will be giving out door prizes that evening.
Young Life Cake Auction
The Young Life Cake Auction will follow Saturday morning at Trinity Lutheran Church.
Steele County Young Life Area Director Lindsay Thompson said bakers have spent weeks preparing for the fundraiser, creating cakes to be sold and auctioned off. The event will feature over 200 cakes, some of them quite elaborate, according to Thompson.
“There’s definitely a community of people who are really passionate and love that creative piece of baking,” she said.
The auction will also include items donated by community members and local businesses, and volunteers will be available to help buyers load their purchases if needed.
Attendees can pay $20 to play “Too High or Too Low,” a guessing game that Thompson said has been popular with all ages in past years. Players will have a chance to win Beats Studio Pro headphones and a YETI Roadie 24 Cooler.
Young Life is hoping to raise $95,000 this year. The funds will support Young Life’s five programs for local youth, which include offerings for high school and middle schoolers, a monthly group for teen moms and one-on-one mentorship opportunities.
The fundraiser will include stories from kids in Young Life’s programs and baker awards for kids and adults. Thompson said Young Life encourages kids to bake for the fundraiser, and a number of them do every year.
A Chick-fil-A food truck will be parked at Trinity from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and will donate a portion of proceeds to Young Life.
Night of Knights Auction
St. Mary’s School will close out the Weekend of Giving Saturday evening with its Night of Knights fundraiser.
The 21+ event will include a silent and live auction and a raffle, as well as opportunities to win liquor, wine and meat.
Raffle prizes include new vehicles and cash, with the grand prize winner having a choice between a 2024 Polaris Ranger or $10,000.
St. Mary’s students have been selling raffle tickets since late February. According to Marketing & Admissions Manager Jonathan Scheeler, they’ve nearly sold all 1,800 tickets but some remain.
Every year, the fundraiser focuses on a specific cause at the school, called the “Spirit of the Knight.” This year, St. Mary’s is seeking $100,000 for improvements to Marian Drive, which runs between the school and Sacred Heart Catholic Church next door. Scheeler said the update would improve car line safety, wheelchair accessibility, storm water drainage and aesthetics at the school.
“Throughout the 38 years we’ve been doing this, we’ve been able to make some much needed updates and upgrades for the school,” Scheeler.
The silent auction will take place in person and online. Bidders will vie for items including vouchers for auto work from Ron’s Repair and and a new furnace and air conditioning unit donated by Central Heating and Refrigeration.
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