Car Raffle, 2 Ex-NY Giants at Albertus Magnus Fundraiser

Each spring, the Albertus Magnus Parents' Club hosts its annual dinner and auction. Attended by over 350 alumni, parents and business leaders, this event raised $68,000 last year and this year's theme was "The Journey Continues." The money raised this year would help fund the new biology lab.

This dinner auction is the the primary fundraising vehicle for the Parents' Club. Chair Diana Lincoln and Volunteer Debbie Paciello kept the night running smoothly along with a group of student volunteers. This year, a 2012 Mazda 3 iSport was also raffled off. 

The Car Raffle was won by a Rivervale, NJ resident and the 50/50 prize (in excess of $9,200) was won by a North Rockland resident. Palisades Mazda provided a car at cost plus allowing it to be displayed in front of the school, and the auction for visual effect. 

The highlight of the oral auction was a surprise to name the front driveway at Albertus after a beloved student who passed away last summer from Cystic Fibrosis. The auctioneer asked who would like to donate $100 to name it in his honor, and it seemed the whole room raised their paddles to join in.

There were also gift baskets, prizes, a 50/50 raffle, food and a live auction with 20 items. The two auctioneers were Ottis Jerome "O.J." Anderson and Jim Burt.

Anderson was named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year by the Associated Press (AP) with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1979, and the MVP of Super Bowl XXV in 1991 when playing with the New York Giants. He played college football at the University of Miami. Burt Burt played nose tackle for the Giants team that won Super Bowl XXI and the 49ers team that won Super Bowl XXIV.

Also, Anderson and Burt donated two sets of tickets to any NY Giants Home game including sideline passes—which generated over $4,000.