The Daily News

North Dakota State College of Science is gearing up for the 14th Annual DREAM$ Auction Friday, April 3 at the Blikre Activities Center. This year, the theme is Rekindled DREAM$. It is meant to bring unique auction items to the floor and to help bring back the passion of supporting the college.

"Rekindling the passion is meant to show what the college is all about, why people attended, why it is important to support the college," said Brad Barth, NDSCS Alumni Foundation director. "Why it is important (for alumni) to give back through the college, help people experience what they did."

In the search for unique items connected to the college, NDSCS Alumni Foundation Coordinator Kim Nelson said many have been created. For example, NDSCS welding student and Great Bend native, Chance Pausch, wanted to make something for his girlfriend and mother, so he created metal roses for them. Barth toured an honors floor, saw the metal roses and left Pausch a card to visit with him. Pausch visited with Barth and agreed to weld a few roses for the DREAM$ Auction.

Chance Pausch touches up metal roses he created. photo submitted Advertisement

"Just that he's finding the passion already, it's great," Barth said.

Another unique item donated for the auction is a six-ticket and hors d'oeuvre package to a Lorrie Line Concert. This may not seem all that unique at first, but what makes it special is alumna Madeline Miller and a guest will join the group for an evening of visiting and music. "She's going to spend time with them and that's rekindling the passion," Barth said.

What makes many of these auction items unique is a personal touch. Kyle Armitage, culinary arts director at the college, donated his services as a private chef for a party of four at the home of the winner. The person or people who win the item will provide the food, receive help from Armitage to plan the meal and he will do all the cooking.

Other unique items include NDSCS exclusive wine glasses, trips to Kansas for a turkey hunt, Lake of the Woods for ice fishing, the Camen Islands and a University of Nebraska extravaganza. A complete list of items up for live and silent auction is available on http://www.ndscs.edu/alumni/pdf/dreamsprocurement.pdf.

So far, Nelson said everything is going well. "We are about right where we were last year," she said. "There's something for everyone."

The DREAM$ Auction isn't only something for those who attended NDSCS, but for those who claim the college as their own, Barth said. There are alumni who call to reserve tables and use the auction as a once a year gathering to catch up. There are families who reserve tables for an annual reunion or night out. The DREAM$ Auction has become an annual event many look forward to. Barth said they are now working on how to get the event more geared toward people coming for the food, fun and the auctions.

There are more than 200 community and campus volunteers helping this year along with 100 student ambassadors.

"We'd like to thank the community for their help with this. Without support and commitment from the community and campus, the event wouldn't happen," Nelson said.

Last year, about 875 people attended the auction. Out of that number, 200 tickets were bought within the last week. Nelson and Barth urge people to buy their tickets earlier. They can do that by calling the NDSCS Alumni Foundation Office at 671-2247, visiting most any local bank or catching a volunteer. All tickets are pre-sold, none are sold at the door.

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