By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
A special anniversary calls for a special celebration.
Patrons will be dressed in formal wear, and wine will flow from a sparkling fountain for Thomas More Prep-Marian's 50th annual ACE Auction— Auction for Christian Education—from 5 to 11 p.m. Saturday in the Al Billinger Fieldhouse.
The event is sold out.
An open house to see the 100 items in the live auction will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, starting with a Chamber Chat hosted by the Chamber in Hays. A preview party will be from 7 to 9 p.m. that night.
"You can find something for every room in your house and more," said Mason Ruder, advancement director.
Other items range from a special dinner party with the bishop to game tickets for favorite area sports teams.
New this year is a live artist working on-site who will create an original painting to auction off.
Patrons will also have the opportunity to bid on a "name the court" sign that will hang above the court entrance at the Al Billinger Fieldhouse.
Cash drawings will be conducted throughout the evening. Another drawing will feature a 2024 Hyundai Elantra SE (valued at $23,000) donated by Kay and Dick Werth at Auto World in Hays.
More than 425 items are available in the online auction. Bidding opens at 3 p.m. Friday.
The popular Item #160, which raises funds for different school projects, will be used in the golden anniversary year to "establish a financial foundation for the continuity of our history, tradition, educational excellence, and taking care of past, present and future students, faculty and staff," said Ruder, who is a TMP alum.
"As a private school, we do not get any tax funding, so every donation that we do get, every dollar we get, goes right back into the school," he said.
"We've been blessed in how long we've been able to do the ACE Auction," he said.
Each donation from $50 and up will get their name listed on the "Golden Legacy" plaque to be placed on campus.
From the first auction in 1975 to 2023, ACE has raised almost $13 million for Thomas More Prep-Marian.
The complete ACE Auction catalog is available online.