This year’s Konosioni Senior Honor Society charity auction raised a record-breaking amount — more than $32,000 — for local organizations. The 19th annual event, which coincided with Entrepreneurship Weekend on April 8, drew parents, alumni, and students.
The event included both a silent auction and live bidding. The highest grossing items were two parties for 75 people at the future home of President-Elect Brian Casey, selling for a total of approximately $10,000. Other items included restaurant gift cards, a private movie screening at the Hamilton Theater, and hot tickets for everything from The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon to the Red Sox. Alumni — including former Konosioni members — donated many of the items.
Last year, in order to allocate auction money and reach a larger audience, Konosioni teamed up with Colgate’s Upstate Institute to launch the crowdfunding website Madison County Gives. The Konosioni Class of 2017 will again distribute the money raised through Madison County Gives.
The charities that benefited this year (from the 2015 auction proceeds) included Community Bikes, Friends of Rogers, Fiver Children’s Foundation, Food Bank of Central New York, Hamilton Food Cupboard, Community Action Partnership, and Mohawk Valley Resource Center for Refugees.
“The charity auction holds a special place in my heart because it’s one time that parents, students, and alumni can come together in support of Madison County,” said Ranissa Adityavarman ’16, Konosioni president. “As students, it’s easy for us to forget everything that makes this area home for us, and running a philanthropic event like this has been a foundation for Konosioni’s commitment to service. I am so proud of the funds we raised this year, but am even more excited to see the tangible, genuine impact that the Class of 2017 can make with this kind of support.”
Other outreach efforts made by Konosioni included a week of service (corresponding with Brothers Charity Week) and a Konosioni-sponsored a cappella concert to raise money for Madison County Gives.