ShawneeDispatch.com

Hundreds of families crowded Clear Creek and Prairie Ridge elementary schools last Saturday as the western Shawnee schools became a gathering place for the community.

At Prairie Ridge, a silent auction, live auction and carnival for children raised $11,000 for the Parent Teacher Association. Cassie Cafferty, president of the PTA, said each class designed a special project for the live auction, such as a portrait quilt or a decorated shoe rack.

Dorothy Magner, co-chair for the event, said she was pleased with the crowd.

"I got a lot of positive feedback," she said. "We're so grateful for the girls from the high school and middle school who agreed to do the babysitting."

Cafferty said the auction event keeps kids from having to shoulder fund-raisers.

"We are a non-selling PTA," she said. "Instead of selling cookie dough or pizzas, we ask local businesses to donate things and everybody gets to bid and take something special home. It keeps our kids off the street."

Cafferty said the PTA often helps the school pay for extracurricular activities such as field trips or academic enrichment.

At Clear Creek, families dressed in 1950s-style clothing for a sock-hop. Prairie Ridge had a similar event in January. The event raised $2,750 for Clear Creek PTA-supported activities.

The Johnstons came with their two children in poodle skirts, t-shirts, jeans and hair gel.

"We thought it would be fun to dress up," Angie Johnston said. "The kids just love it."

The event also had diner-style food at 50-cent prices, games, a silent auction and photos taken next to a 50s-classic car.

Karen Platt, member of the Clear Creek PTA said she was pleased the organization could get so much support.

"For every fund-raiser we have, we give back to the kids for some reason," she said.

The Clear Creek PTA has a hoedown and chili cook-off each year. Both schools have a family fun night, fifth-grade farewell send-off party and sponsor field trips, enriching teacher curriculum, schoolwide reading programs and citizenship awards.