The Mt. Hood Community College Foundation held its annual dinner and auction this past Saturday, April 21, and raised a record $312,000, surpassing a goal of $300,000.
MHCC Alum Dave Salesky, who emceed the auction, with
the college’s donor relations manager Judianne Charman and
Foundation Board President Ken Cornelison. Held at the Yoshida Event Center on the Gresham campus, this year’s dinner and auction was themed “Building the Future.” It included both a live and silent auction, jazz performance by MHCC students and faculty, and a “Dessert Dash” with delectable
treats.
The evening was dedicated to the Carlos Noriega, an active member of the Sandy community and former chair of the foundation’s fundraising committee, who recently passed away.
The MHCC alumni duo of Dave Salesky, a KATU weatherman and the event emcee, and Brad Caldwell, the event auctioneer from the Stokes Auction Group, kept attendees laughing throughout the night. Additional speakers included MHCC President Dr. Debra
Derr; the college’s next president, Dr. Lisa Skari; and MHCC alumni and scholarship recipient Sandra Nau. Pearl Catering provided dinner.
“This is the foundation’s biggest fundraiser for student scholarships,” said Judianne Charman, who manages donor relations for the foundation. “and we’re grateful to everyone who gave and made this night a success!”
In 2017, the dinner and auction raised $286,000. Due partly to the success of this event, the Foundation awarded $411,000 in 2017, resulting in scholarships for approximately one third of applicants.
Interested in learning more about the Foundation? Log on to mhcc.edu/Foundation