Event Details: The Basics

• What is the Gala?

  • The Gala is Brooks’ largest fundraiser of the year. It is a kid-free evening of drinks, dinner, silent and live auctions, risk-free casino games, raffle prizes, and dancing, great music, and other activities that fill the room with joy & laughter! And the best part - it is all to benefit our school! 

  • This year we are raising money to help fund a stage for future performing arts programs at school, in addition to raising money for our programs that require annual backing (technology, student assemblies, garden and art programs, and more). 

• When and where is the Gala?

  • Friday, April 12, 2024 from 5:30 - 10:00 p.m. at the Folsom Community Center located at 52 Natoma St, Folsom, CA 95630.

• What is the theme of this year’s event?

  • This year’s theme is Casino Royale. At the event you can experience the fun and excitement of playing in a real casino but in a risk-free environment! You will be playing with gaming chips that have no cash value.

  • There will be Vegas-style gaming tables for Texas Hold’em, Casino War, and Blackjack. A $30 donation to the school will get you “$500” of gaming chips. 

• Why should I go to the Gala?

  • This is a fun adults-only event to celebrate our kids, the William Brooks staff and community, and is a great way to meet other Brooks families and hang out with the families you already know.

  • Enjoy drinks and dinner, risk-free gambling, and have the opportunity to win fun prizes! And the best part - it is all to benefit our school! 

 

Evening Events and Gaming Details

• When will the gaming tables be open at the event?

  • The Vegas-style gaming tables will be open from 6:00 pm - 9:30 pm, but will be closed while the live auction takes place.

• How much does it cost to play?

  • Each $30 donation to the school will get you “$500” of gaming chips.

• Can I win anything at the gaming tables?

  • You can play until you run out of chips or put your chips in the Grade-level Pot of your choice. The grade-level with the highest value of chips in their Pot at the end of the night wins the JACKPOT PRIZE! This will be a celebration or treat as chosen by the teachers of the winning grade that will take place this school year.

• The gaming chips are cool! Can I keep them?

  • No, you may not keep the gaming chips as we are charged for every missing chip. Instead, put them in the Grade-level Pot(s) of your choice to try to win your student(s) the Jackpot Prize!

• What else happens at the gala?

  • The evening will be filled with lots of fun activities in addition to the Gaming Tables!

  • Throughout the evening you can play the Wine Pull Game, where $20 gets you a mystery bottle of wine valued from $20-$100.

  • You can buy wine, beer, and our signature cocktails at the bar. 

  • The Silent Auction Tables will open at 5:30 pm and close by section from 7:00 to 7:30pm. You can bid on items and services donated by local companies and Brooks teachers and staff.

  • For a fee, you can play the Heads or Tails Game for the chance to win a prize. In this game, players guess if a coin will land on heads or tails. Those who got it right continue to play until there is only one winner.

  • You can enter your raffle tickets for a chance to win your favorite Class-basket and we will announce the winners of the Class-basket Raffle.

  • There will be a Buffet Dinner followed by a Dessert Dash, where the highest bidding tables have to “dash” to get the dessert of their choice before another table gets it first (everyone will get a dessert).

  • During the Live Auction, you will have a chance to bid on the most coveted prizes of the evening. The gaming tables will be closed for this portion of the event.

  • After the live auction around 8:45 pm, the Dance Floor will open up and Checkout will open.

  • The event winds down with the gaming tables closing at 9:30, last call for the bar at 9:45, and doors closing at 10:00 pm. 

 

Other Questions about the Evening

• Who will I sit with?

  • Our event is open seating so you can grab a table with friends or share a table with new people.

  • The only way to have reserved seats at the event is to buy a VIP table for 8 for you and your friends (it comes with a bottle of champagne).

• What should I wear? Do I have to get fancy?

  • You can wear your date night best or wear your jeans. You can dress in 1920's attire or like James Bond! Whatever you want to wear works for us - we just want you to come! 

• How will I know what the rules are for all of the activities at the Gala?

  • The rules of all activities and games will be included in the program handed out at the event.

• I won something at the event. What do I do now?

  • Congratulations! When you check out at the check-out table at the end of the night, the check-out volunteers will let you know which silent and live auction items you have won, if you do not already know. You can pick up the silent-auction items and raffle baskets and the volunteers will give you any certificates or gift cards associated with your item. Make sure to take note of any expiration dates so you don’t miss out! 

• Where do I park and how do I get home?

  • Parking is available at the Folsom Community Center. 

  • Please do not drink and drive. We encourage you to have a designated driver for the evening or to use ride-share. 

 

Ticket Purchases

• How do I buy tickets?

  • You can buy tickets and get more information at the PTA website www.williambrookspta.org/events/gala. You can buy your ticket electronically on the website or by returning the paper ticket form and your payment (cash or check) to your child's teacher or the front office by April 1.

  • Note that we are using the Greater Giving software for online ticket sales and for purchases at the event.  When you buy your ticket online, you will have the option of having Greater Giving save your credit card information for faster check-out at the event.

• How much does it cost?

  • Early-bird tickets are available for $85 each or $720 for a VIP table for 8 people. VIP Tables are the only tables with reserved seating and include a bottle of champagne. On March 25th, prices increase to $100 per ticket and $840 per table until ticket sales end on April 5th.

• Is there a way I can avoid credit card fees?

  • If you prefer to avoid the credit card fees charged by Greater Giving, you may purchase gala, drink, and raffle tickets by returning the paper ticket form and your payment (cash or check) to your child's teacher or the front office by April 1.

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Sponsorships, Donations, and Volunteering

• Can I volunteer at the event?

  • Yes please!! Please consider volunteering before, during, or after the Gala as we need a lot of volunteers to make it run smoothly and be a big success. If you are attending the Gala, please consider volunteering for an hour shift during the event. If you are not attending the Gala but can volunteer during the event, no ticket is required. Please sign up to help HERE.

• Can I sponsor the event or donate an item for the silent or live auction?

  • Of course you can! Information on how you can become a sponsor, make a monetary donation, and/or donate goods or services can be found at the PTA website www.williambrookspta.org/events/gala. Email wbrookspta@gmail.com with any questions.

• Can I help teachers and staff that want to attend the event?

  • Yes! When you buy your ticket, you can choose to contribute to the Teacher & Staff Ticket Fund to help offset the cost of tickets for the teachers and staff who wish to attend the event. ​

• I can’t make it to the Gala but would still like to help. What can I do?

  • If you would like to make a monetary donation you can do so HERE or by filling out the bottom portion of the paper ticket form and returning it with your donation.

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