Rogers Concert & Auction Tickets Selling Up a Storm

 One thing Belmont Shore will give it up for is children and education, and time and again that's been proved with the yearly successes of local school auctions.

At our first live auction for Lowell Elementary School, a father bought a $1,000 tiki party for 20 - in absentia. "What?!!," he said, returning to his wife at their table. "I can't even use the restroom without spending money."

On April 12, Rogers Middle School's 10th Annual Dinner Concert and Fundraising Auction, with tuxedo-clad teacher Kevin Hamilton and dressed up students, will be equally lively with equally fun items. But it will actually be more symphonic. 

Jazz Band, Wind Ensemble, Orchestra, Chamber String and Symphonic Band will perform for the audience, which can listen while bidding on an array of unique auction items, visiting over George's Greek Deli dinner and being further entertained by the live auctioneer.

Held Friday, April 12, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Wilson High School's gymnasium, the reservations-only event sells up quickly at $25 a ticket. The deadline for parent priority tickets was Friday, March 29, and added guests and the general public now have the chance to get tickets. (Hint: parents, tick-tock).

Just a sampling of donated items up for auction:

-Two roundtrip plane tickets to anywhere JetBlue flies in the continental U.S.

-A week's stay at a house in Milan, Italy.

-A ride over Long Beach in the Goodyear Blimp

-A ride in a private airplane

- A dinner party for 30 at Alfredo's Beach Club (see above)

-Tickets to see Dr. Phil or The Talk

- Vacations and restaurant meals galore

-And a coveted day with Mr. Hamilton at your favorite theme park.

There are many more treasures being donated; organizers ask that those already pledged be delivered to auction chief Jackie Taylor (contacts below).

The Rogers Middle School Music Department puts on the concert, along with an army of parents and the generosity of the Long Beach community - residents and businesses. All donations are tax-deductible and help a program that can boast a third of all students - about 300 - are able to learn and love music, whether they can afford their own instrument or not. 

Auction contributions are still being accepted through April 5 through Tayor but after that deadline donations may not make it into the promotionally-optimum printed auction brochure. Questions or donations go to Jackie007Taylor@yahoo.com and ticket inquiries go to Jacqui Viale, vialegirl@charter.net.