The entire Copperopolis Elementary student body gathered on the playground Friday, Oct. 18, 2024, to commemorate a record-breaking fundraiser by the Parent Teacher Club that recently brought well over $52,000 into the student activities coffers. Photo by Tori James
Much like “the little engine that could,” a fired up local parent-teacher club that recently built a head of steam, drove results of a recent fundraiser well past the heights of its previous record.
While the Copperopolis Parent-Teacher Club (PTC) had for the past few years raised somewhere in the neighborhood of $30,000 from its annual Steak and Shrimp Dinner, the biggest of its annual fundraisers. On Oct. 5, the event netted $52,222.83, resulting in a jubilant presentation last Friday, Oct. 18 of an oversized check for the amount in front of the entire student body.
Principal Sara Tutthill and her staff gathered the students in the schoolyard for a photo opportunity with the Enterprise and some of the PTC movers and shakers whose efforts were key to the event’s success.
According to Tutthill, this is the last year for PTC President Amanda Kelley, who after helming the event for the past few years, will be moving on as her daughter bridges over to Mark Twain in Angels Camp, which houses the district’s middle school. Apparently, she wanted to go out on a high note exceeding all expectations. And she did.
“We never raised that much for the school from an event and (the dinner) has been going on at least 20 years,” Tutthill emphasized. “The event was in the planning for a year and they sold 200 community member tickets to those who came to the event. They are already planning for next year. It is normally held the first weekend in October but they are looking for new dates for next year, perhaps, to have it maybe when it is not as hot or in cooler temperatures.”
Held at Black Creek Park, Tutthill described the gathering as typically an adult evening event. “IGA (in Copperopolis at Lake Tulloch Plaza, owned by PTC boosters Kevin and Shawna Young) donates all the steak and shrimp and does all the cooking of the food,” Tuthill said gratefully. “We have baked potatoes, salad and bread and they do a silent and live auction. Our parking space on campus is typically the ‘big ticket’ item.
An $8,000 parking spot
“This year, Lakes Treatment Center won–it went for $8,000!. They have employees who have children who go here. So they bought it to allow them to (easily) park during school hours and for pick up and drop off. A sign goes up with Lakes Treatment Center on the sign.”
She continued, “They were in a bidding war with Ira Eads of Cisco Fire (Sprinklers), a local who was trying to get it for one of his employees as well. It was fun–it was eye-opening–a thriller!”
The event format, she said, stays pretty constant from year to year with a 4:30 p.m. cocktail hour start, allowing attendees to look at auction items from all over Calaveras and Tuolumne counties. After dinner is a live auction, followed by DJ music. The theme this year was “A Night at the Oscars,” which allowed the attendees to don a little ritz.
“Our PTC funds field trips, teacher grants, assemblies, projects on campus and major things like playground equipment,” Tutthill noted. “We have a huge mural that went in last year and the kids participated. It’s a street mural done in a graffiti style–it’s very cool. The funds also help support art and music on campus.”
Asked how the extra funds might be spent, Tutthill replied, “I am sure it will change the (PTC) budget but I don’t know what they will spend it on.” She listed a few activities that more activity funds could further augment.
“They support our (6th grade) science camp for which the school district pays 40% and the family pays 60%, unless there’s a financial hardship. Ski and snowboard (activities) are funded through the families; the district provides the transportation and Bear Valley is very generous with their rates for lift tickets, lessons and rentals. PTC helps fill in costs for students whose families can’t afford it. We go twice a year but three dates are on the books in case one gets canceled and we try to go anyway if there is no cancellation.”
Too, she said, “Right now, we are (also) really trying to get ceramics on campus, which extra funding will help provide!”
The PTC, open to interested school parents, meets monthly on Mondays. For details, email copperopolisptc@gmail.com.
