Thornton Academy News
- Annual Auction
Supporters return for in-person Thornton Fund Auction
After a two-year hiatus, the Thornton Fund Auction returned to a live, in-person event on May 21 at the TA campus in Saco. The event supports academic and extracurricular programming, and provides much-needed support for many families at the school.
Following a silent auction and social hour, guest auctioneer Vangel Cotsis opened the live portion of the evening with tickets and transportation to a Jimmy Buffett Concert.
Cotsis, a Senior Vice President of Investments and Senior Portfolio Manager at Bayside Wealth Management, used his quick wit and sense of humor to entertain the audience and keep bidders engaged.
Prizes included a seven night Florida Getaway, Saco Bay Sailboat Excursion, and Boston Celtics tickets. The event culminated in a raffle drawing for seven cash prizes, including a grand prize of $10,000.
“Funds raised tonight have a significant impact on the daily life of students who would otherwise be left without,” said Halely Thompson, the school’s director of development. “The Free Breakfast and Lunch Program, for example, provides support for our students facing food insecurity.”
Silent auction items include a football helmet signed by members of Thornton’s state championship team, slate roof tiles painted by students in the Honors Art program, and a poster signed by cast members of TA’s Spring production of “Fiddler on the Roof.”
Most importantly, the Thornton Fund Auction raised over $100,000 to support academic and extracurricular programming, as well as funding for the Headmaster's Student Assistance Fund which helps students who may need basic necessities, such as eye glasses, winter coats, and internet access.
“Saco is not a big city. We don’t often see the poverty and financial struggle that exists in our community when you drive through town – but we see the effects of poverty on our students here at school,” Thornton Headmaster Rene Menard told the audience. “We see students struggle, we see students that are hungry, students that go without, and we see students whose families may be too proud to ask for help.”
Pictured, top of page: TA parents Amy Wedgewood, Tara Heiger, and Sarah Williams.
Above: Auctioneer and Trustee Vangel Cotsis '85
