The Nisqually Valley News reports,
"The 2008 Children’s School of Excellence auction netted more than $250,000, making it arguably the area’s most successful auction to date.

The most anticipated item, a one-hour private session with Ramtha, was purchased by Ramtha’s School of Enlightenment student Rebecca Capezio for $172,500.

Capezio is the granddaughter of Harry Oppenheimer, a South African businessman and former chairman of DeBeers Consolidated Mines...

Other items up for auction included a monogrammed denim jacket donated by JZ Knight. The jacket was modeled for the auction by actress and RSE student Linda Evans.

The publicity coordinator for CSE, Terri Church, won the jacket with a bid of $7,500.

A Wine of the Month Club membership netted $22,000, but a 2008 Chevrolet Colorado truck didn’t receive enough bids to sell.
[Ed. Note: A CSE spokesperson tells the Yelm Community Blog, "The NVN incorrectly stated: 'A Wine of the Month Club membership netted $22,000'. The item sold for $600 and the school netted approx. $200."].

Halfway through the auction, auctioneer Cindy Schorno, with the help of her brother, Dan Schorno, asked the audience for donations for the financial assistance program.

Each year, proceeds from the auction go to help cover operation and tuition costs for families who cannot afford the $5,500 a year to attend CSE.

Both Linda Evans and CSE founder Marjorie Layden donated the cost of a full year of tuition for one student.

Additional people donated money in $50, $100, $200, $500 and higher increments.

“People ask why we do what we do,” said Omey Nandyal, CSE board of trustees president. “It’s simple -- for the children.”

“We give them an environment. They already know that they’re kings and own the world. We keep that environment going as long as we can.”

CSE was founded in 1999. It is a Washington state approved pre-K through eighth grade, coeducational nonprofit school.

It is located in Rainier.

In comparison to the CSE auction, Yelm’s annual Dollars for Scholars auction in March raised $175,000 for scholarships."

[Ed. Note: The Dollars for Scholars auction goes to support Yelm Community Schools currently serving "more than 5,300 students in nine schools" and the K - 12 program of "Rainier School District's enrollment of 940 students, (which) makes it the smallest in Thurston County." That's almost 6,500 students served by Dollars for Scholars.

As a comparison, CSE (Children's School of Excellence) is a " Pre-K through Grade Eight, coeducational non-profit private school" located in Rainier, WA. with approximately 70 students.]

THAT THIS AREA GAVE $425,000 COMBINED FOR DOLLARS FOR SCHOLARS & CSE IS HUGE AND SHOWS THE GENEROSITY OF OUR COMMUNITY!

WHAT SAY YOU?