NORTH PLATTE – Around 300 people gathered Saturday, October 1st for the 9th annual G.R.E.E.N. (Generating Resources for Educational Excellence Now) fundraising event for the North Platte Catholic Schools. The event which features dinner, silent and live auctions, games and a lottery drawing raised close to $100,000 for McDaid and St. Patrick’s schools. Money raised at the annual event helps fund teacher retirement and defray the operating costs of North Platte’s Catholic School system. North Platte Catholic Schools Endowment-Trust Executive Director Wendy Dodson estimates the net income to be right around $100,000. The G.R.E.E.N. “Lucky Lotto” brought in $18,800, with 180 tickets being sold. The $10,000 grand prize winner is Orlin and Nancy Faulhaber of North Platte. The $1,000 second prize winner is Loretta Hamilton of Thedford. The 2011 Lucky Lotto sponsors are: Dan and Sandy Keenan, Pat and Kathleen Keenan, Jeff and Robyn O’Connor, CG Architects, and Bill and Sherry Snodgrass. The “Irish Heads or Tails” game, contributed over $2,000 to the event total.
Kevin Wood of North Platte won the game and received a $1,000 cash prize sponsored by Adams Bank and Trust. Money was also raised during the live auction to fund a “Wish List” for needed facility repairs and classroom enhancements, as well as nearly $2,000 for the purchase of some new chairs for teachers at St. Pat’s High School. Dodson says that thanks are in order to the entire community of North Platte for making G.R.E.E.N. a success. She says that local businesses and individuals donated over $50,000 dollars worth of auction items to the event and contributed over $20,000 in cash for auction items and expenses. Dodson explains that, “North Platte responds to G.R.E.E.N. in a big way every year, and we are extremely grateful for the support of this event and our school system.” Next year’s G.R.E.E.N. is scheduled for Saturday, October 13th, 2012.