The Shorewood SEED Foundation’s annual Swing with Shorewood fundraiser has had many iterations through the years, from a more casual live auction first held in 2004 at Lakefront Brewery, to a virtual talent show event held in 2021, due to the pandemic. We’re excited to welcome everyone back in person on Saturday, May 7, 2022 at Discovery World, which also happens to be the same day as the famed Kentucky Derby horse race!
This year’s gala will be Kentucky Derby themed, and attendees can participate in the theme as much or as little as you desire. There will be mint juleps, a nod to the Derby in decor, and we encourage fascinators and fedoras of course! Hat wearing is not required, but attendees who do can enter a raffle for a fabulous Derby themed gift basket. Our goal is a lighthearted, fun gathering to celebrate the togetherness we’ve all been missing for two years, while raising necessary funds for the Shorewood School District.
The event itself combines a silent auction and our famous wine pull with delicious dinner from Bartolotta’s catering, and music and dancing by Sound By Design. Capacity is limited this year, so we encourage you to purchase your tickets here before they sell out. New this year, you can sponsor a teacher ticket or table as a way to show your appreciation for our dedicated Shorewood teachers.
In addition to the in person event, SEED also holds an online auction with hundreds of amazing items, experiences, gift certificates, and more. This year’s online auction goes live Friday, April 29, and ends on Sunday, May 8 at 7 pm, the day after the gala. We’re calling on local businesses and community members to donate auction items and support our schools. Many categories of items are appreciated, such as gift cards to local restaurants and shops, electronics, gym memberships, artwork, fashion and jewelry, gift baskets, services like oil changes and house painting, vacation rentals, teacher events, and even creative experiences like a monthly homemade pie subscription. When the auction goes live, keep an eye out for gift cards to your favorite restaurant, an ice cream or pizza party with your child’s teacher, and even a fire truck ride to school! The auction is truly a treasure trove of once in a lifetime experiences and amazing items, along with ways to show your support for our schools through supporting local businesses in turn.
If you have something to donate, please fill out our Auction Donation Form, and a Swing with Shorewood volunteer will contact you to pick up your item. Donations must be received by April 15 to be included in the event program. You can also donate through the SEED Signup Genius which has suggested categories of items, and you can see what your neighbors are donating.
Sponsorship and advertising opportunities are also available and provide exposure of your business or organization to 2000+ Shorewood parents and community members through the online auction and live event. Learn more about sponsorship levels on our Sponsorship Opportunities and Recognition webpage.
We asked several longtime and new supporters of Swing with Shorewood why they donate, advertise, and continue to sponsor SEED’s events. North Shore Bank has been sponsoring the event for 7 years, and branch manager Shannon Weber states, “North Shore Bank understands the importance of providing high quality education, and we’re proud to support Shorewood SEED’s annual fundraiser that supports the organization’s efforts for the children in our community. The Shorewood Swing event also gives North Shore Bank an opportunity to connect with the people who make up this great community, one that we have been part of for nearly 100 years.”
American Family Insurance agent Amanda Gramoll-Lococo supports SEED by advertising in the Swing with Shorewood auction brochure because “it is so important to me as a Shorewood business owner to support our local community, especially the schools since they are educating our youngest community members. I greatly appreciate the opportunity to partner with SEED and support the Shorewood Public Schools.”
Orangetheory Fitness Shorewood has donated a monthly gym membership and heart rate monitor to SEED’s online auction each year since opening in 2017. Head coach Kristin Johnson exclaims, “We are always happy to donate! Being part of the community and knowing many parents and students are part of our OTF family, we love having a helping hand promoting wellness and supporting the schools. Donating to the SEED auction also helps promote our studio because auction winners usually become Orangetheory members!”
Donating to the online auction is a great way to get the word out about a new business, which is why Amanda Buhrman, owner of Sweetly Baked MKE is donating a tower of custom scratch baked French macarons this year. “As a new small business and a resident within the Shorewood community, it’s important for me to donate to the SEED auction not only for the great exposure my business will get, but also because I know my donation will go to helping fund important projects, updates, and programs throughout the school district,” she explains.
Mona Farez, Atwater parent, has purchased a gift card to Damascus Gate restaurant to donate to the online auction two years in a row. She says, “I love the food and want to support the restaurant owners who are Syrian refugees. I thought a gift card would give the restaurant more visibility and introduce more Shorewood families to this business.”
Even business owners who don’t live in Shorewood can benefit from the exposure of a weeklong online auction listing. Joe Franz of Joe of All Trades Handyman Services has wanted to expand his business into the North Shore. Donating to the Swing with Shorewood auction “gives me an opportunity to expand my business through giving back to the Shorewood School District. One auction winner hired me to paint cabinets in her kitchen, which took me 10-12 hours and brought in additional revenue beyond the time I donated. She then had me come back to hang pictures and blinds, and remove speakers out of walls. I look forward to the free advertising and referrals gained from donating to the SEED auction each year.”
Artist Jenny Heyden has donated custom artwork to SEED auctions for many years, and has a slightly different take on why donating is important to her. “For me it’s been a funny thing – art isn’t usually a contested/high stakes item in silent auctions, often going for less than market value, depending on the art,” she explains. “On the very positive side, however, I see donating one-of-a-kind artwork as a challenge and try to make it very site specific, and do school-related pieces just for the auction. I like to try to get the work out there so people are seeing it and excited for that piece.” She sees creating a special piece each year as a catalyst to exercise her creativity, and says, “Every year, in my case, it sets a fire under me to create something.”
Vashti Lozier is a longtime SEED board member who runs the online auction. She sums it up nicely: “Donating to the SEED auction is a great way for a business to get visibility and generate excitement about their products and services. Auction donors are amazing community partners. They value education and our kids!”
We hope you will consider donating to the Swing with Shorewood auction this year, bidding on items, and of course attending the gala on May 7. You can learn more about the event and auction on our Swing with Shorewood webpage. As always, if you prefer to make a monetary donation, click the Donate button below. Whether you have been donating for years, or are considering a first time donation, Shorewood schools sincerely appreciate your support!
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