The 2014 Alvin High School Baseball fundraising banquet is set for January 18th in the Alvin High School cafeteria, as always, the 3rd Saturday in January. Culinary Arts is preparing the dinner, and the players are serving. Doors open at 5:30 pm for browsing the fantastic auction and raffle items that the players and parents are collecting. The program begins at  6:30 pm, and tickets remain at only $15!

Each year we sell about 400 tickets to this banquet and raise funds to improve the facilities and purchase items for the players. All proceeds go the players, the program, or the field!

The program includes an introduction of the players, a moving video of them in the off-season, and a video of sponsor commercials cast with the players. The highlight of the program is the live auction that always brings prized and uncommon items. See a list of items from previous years. The silent auction begins when the doors open. A cake auction is also included with elaborate and delicious desserts for your table. Go in as a group and enjoy these treats, or take one home!

Summary of  player and parent responsibilities
Responsibility	Description	Required
Tickets	Sell a minimum of eight $15 tickets.	X
Auction or raffle items	Solicit auction or raffle items from the community (minimum of one). Contact David Becker when you have your item(s).	X
Sponsors	Solicit $500 home plate sponsorships.
Tables	Decorate and supply condiments for your banquet table.	X
Serve	Players arrive at 3:30 pm, dressed in black slacks, white dress shirt, tie, and dress shoes or boots.	X
Cakes donations	If you are donating a cake, contact Kathy Campbell first!

Tickets and table assignments

Each player receives eight tickets to sell at $15 each, which will populate one table of their guests. Players are free to sell more tickets, but any ticket buyers over eight will have to sit at a separate table. Coach McFarland will do his best to arrange the tables so that your guests are near each other, but it is not always possible. Players do not have to buy tickets for themselves.

Seniors tables are in the front two rows, juniors behind them, then sophomores, and freshman in the back. Sponsors sit in front. Coach McFarland determines the table assignments, and it is completely random.

Table decorations

Each player (parent) is responsible for decorating his own table. Decorations should reflect the player himself. Examples include mementos of the player’s baseball career, baby pictures, hobbies, homemade photo placements—the sky’s the limit.

Freshman – Junior tables are octagon. Round 8′ – 9′  (96″ – 108″) tablecloths work well under your decorations. Senior tables are long rectangular provided they sell enough tickets to populate the table. Otherwise, they sit in front with an octagonal table. You can rent or purchase round white tablecloths of any color. Seniors need long tablecloths.

Leave room for plates around your decorations. Plates, flatware, and a limited amount of cheese and bacon bits are provided. You must provide salt, pepper, and other condiments for the baked potatoes and roast beef. Be sure to bring extra shredded cheese, bacon bits, and other baked potato fixings.

Do not bring dessert for your table. Banquet guests must buy dessert from the donated cakes! Have your table go in together to buy a cake if you want dessert.

The cafeteria is reserved Friday afternoon (from 4:00 – 8:00 pm) to begin decorating and will reopen Saturday morning at 7:30 am. Decorating must be completed by 3:30 on Saturday. Players and parents are highly encouraged to begin decorating Saturday morning when banquet personnel are present. We are not responsible for items left overnight on Friday.

Bring your decorations in a tub that you can keep under the table. When the banquet is over, it gets a bit chaotic, and you can simply sweep the decorations into the tub.

Player arrival and dress

Players must arrive at the cafeteria at 3:30 pm to help with the final touches. Players must be dressed in dark pants, a white dress shirt, a tie, and dress shoes. Players who do not own a tie can see Coach McFarland to borrow a tie. Players will serve the food and work the banquet.

Auction and raffle items

Each player must donate (or find a donor for) a minimum of one raffle or auction item for the raffle or silent or live auction. Auction items can be anything; do not limit your items to baseball or sports memorabilia. Think outside of the box. Hunting items, trips, vacation home rentals, puppies, helicopter or hot air balloon rides, guns, yard furniture, BBQ grills, quilts, and even horses will make the team money! When you have an auction item, contact David Becker so that he can catalog it.

There is a donation form on the website. Sponsors (or players for the sponsors) can declare donations directly from this form instead of the paper form. They can upload their logo for the home plate sponsorship. Players can then go collect the donation item or monies. See Become a Sponsor.

If you are donating a cake, you must notify Kathy Campbell, who is in charge of cake donations. Do not just show up at the door with a cake.

If you find a sponsor that can’t be at the banquet, let them know that they can bid anyway! We take bids over the phone and are set up for credit card payments!

Questions

If you have any questions that are not answered here, contact Coach McFarland or David Becker.