The Big Event Auction is the largest fundraiser and fun-raiser for Independent Day School. Each year a dedicated team of volunteers get together to throw a huge party! We select a theme and plan the party around it. There is a fantastic catered dinner, dancing, live and silent auctions, and several raffle opportunities. Our Live & Silent Auctions offer items donated by our IDS families, staff members and our community. We have had everything from gift cards to local restaurants and theme parks to sports memorabilia to lavish trips to New York and Colorado! In addition to these items, the auction offers incredibly creative Class Baskets put together by our parent volunteers and priceless memorable Class Creations made by our children.

An obvious goal of the Big Event is to raise money for our fantastic school. The funds to be made are considerable and are of great benefit to our school.

Another goal of the Big Event is to provide an opportunity for parents to come together and celebrate our school community and our common interest in the education of our children.

All money raised by the auction go directly to benefit our school in many ways. Past funds raised have contributed to purchasing lap tops, smart boards, school buses and fences, to name a few.

The Big Event Committee is made of a talented group of parents with imagination, determination, contacts and resources to help make this evening a great success, but there is still room on our team for YOU! There are many volunteer opportunities available on the Big Event committee, and every parent is invited to join us in making this year's "fun"-raiser the best yet! To find out how you can help, please contact the Big Event chairperson, Julie Salek at 813-382-2525 or jsalek@prutropical.com or watch your Heads' Letter for meeting times.

Auction catalogs which highlight all items in the auction and our donor businesses will be made available a few weeks before the auction date. The catalogs will be provided to all school families and will be available at the front office of either campus.

Invitations are typically sent home with students in early February. Any members of the community who would like to receive an invitation can call the school or download a ticket request form from this website.

The Big Event Committee is made of a talented group of parents with imagination, determination, contacts and resources to help make this evening a great success, but there is still room on our team for YOU! There are many volunteer opportunities available on the Big Event committee, and I would like to invite each of you to join us in making this year's "fun"-raiser the best yet! To find out how you can help, please watch your weekly Head's Letter to see when the next Big Event meeting is, and join us!

• Do you have any sports event tickets or a vacation home that you can offer for a week?
• Can you perform a service (cook a gourmet meal, paint a room, plan a party or teach someone how to understand their computer)? The possibilities are endless!
• Can you build or make something? Handmade items like quilts, doll clothes, furniture, and toys make our auction unique and special?

Become a Corporate or Table Sponsor
Sponsors receive a variety of benefits as well as the thanks of the entire IDS community. For details, please go to the "Advertise in the Big Event" page.

Purchase Advertising in our Auction Catalog
Over five hundred auction catalogs are distributed throughout Tampa Bay. Advertising in the catalog can be great exposure to local businesses. Individuals can also purchase ads to show their support for our school. To get more details about advertising in the Big Event, please go to the "Advertise in the Big Event" page.