By Jan Fujiwara P ’22, ’24, Carnival Administrative Division Head
Show tickets, relaxing spa treatments, an autographed print and matching comic book, unique jewelry, and more! Punahou Carnival’s Silent Auction, a winning booth, traditionally is packed with favorite items and treasured packages. In addition to the considerable number of items to bid on, the silent auction is online, making it accessible to the entire community, starting Feb. 1.
No matter where you are, you can participate, support, and be a part of Punahou Carnival. However, please remember that items won must be picked up at Carnival, so be sure to recruit a friend or family member to pick up your item on campus.
Punahou Carnival and our virtual auction requires much planning and careful strategy. Our parent and student booth chairs, like the rest of Punahou’s students and parents of the Class of 2024, are working at full speed to prepare for Pun Prix ’23: Pedal to the Metal.
The auction offers an exciting opportunity for Junior student booth chairs to develop their communication and entrepreneurial skills as they collaborate with members of the local business community. Our student booth chairs work hard in coordinating the efforts for a successful silent auction. Student booth chairs assist in photographing items and writing mini descriptions of each item as they prepare the silent auction website.
We encourage our community to help our students reach out to local businesses, too. While supporting Punahou School, businesses can also use this opportunity to promote themselves. The online bidding process allows a larger population of people to bid, thus broadly promoting a donor’s business! Best of all, proceeds from Punahou Carnival and Silent Auction support the School’s student financial aid program.
Min Zhong, a parent of a Junior and an auction booth chair, said she was more than willing to volunteer her time as one of the Silent Auction chairs after seeing the passion and enthusiasm of past parent volunteers who contributed to the success of Carnival.
“It’s our turn to volunteer and contribute,” Min added. “We love Punahou and are very thankful for what the school, teachers and PFA do for the students and families. We need to give back and volunteering is one of the ways to show our appreciation to the school and PFA.”
As one of the Carnival’s Division Heads, I encourage our team of booth chairs to stay on the fast track for this year’s event, whether that be by volunteering or making a donation for our auction. It is a community effort to support our students. It has been a rewarding experience to collaborate and meet so many parents and students. Now add to that how much fun it is to bid on a spa treatment or weekend getaway all while supporting a financial aid program. Let’s start our engines and get ready to bid on those auction items!
Although all of the items can be viewed online, select items will be displayed in Kirsch Gallery during Carnival. Students will work side-by-side setting up the viewing gallery and welcoming Carnival supporters to bid online. These tools are invaluable skills that they learn during their time running the Silent Auction booth.
Donations, gift certificates and goods are still being accepted. Please contact our Silent Auction booth chairs at carnivalauction@pfa.punahou.edu if you are interested in making a donation.
The Pun Prix ’23: Pedal to the Metal Silent Auction opens online Wednesday, Feb. 1, at noon and runs through Saturday, Feb. 4, at 4 p.m. Bookmark the Carnival Silent Auction link now: https://punahou.ejoinme.org/punahouauction2023
