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Schools

Birmingham's Unabashed Bash Sells Out Leading Up to Saturday's Event

Education Foundation organizers says this year's attendance will be the benefit's highest yet.

After selling more than 280 tickets to the , Saturday's fundraising benefit at is officially sold out.

Wendy Christie, Bash coordinator, said this will be the highest attendance the event has ever had. Tickets this year cost $160, with proceeds going to the (BEF), a nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing educational opportunities throughout the district.

During the past 10 years, the Bash has raised nearly half a million dollars for the foundation—all of which is spent on students. The money raised Saturday night will be invested in grants that support various projects throughout the Birmingham public school district. Past grants have paid for the installation of Promethean boards in all high school math classrooms, document cameras in the elementary schools and kilns for ceramic classes.

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Last year, Christie said the event generated $57,000 in profit for the BEF, and organizers anticipate raising around the same amount—or more—this year.

Saturday's festivities include dinner, a silent and live auction, musical performances by the orchestra and electronic string ensemble as well as numbers from 's spring production of .

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The theme for this year’s Unabashed Bash is “From the heART," highlighting Valentine's Day and the arts.

“We try to pick a unique theme that ties back into our mission, and supporting the arts is one of our focuses,” Christie said.

Student artwork from every school will be displayed on easels, used as centerpieces for the tables. Christie said the only requirement was that the paintings feature the color red.

“Some students were very literal, and some were very abstract in their paintings,” Christie said. “They’re pretty amazing.”

Tony Fink, art teacher for , and elementary schools, chose a group of fourth- and fifth-graders to work with the canvases and shape their masterpieces. The students came in during their lunch periods to work on the project, he said, painting cardinals, hearts, sunsets and flowers.

“I really like that it was a blank canvas, which is something that every artist needs to face,” Fink said.

About 150 items will be available for auction. Some of the items up for bid include a diamond necklace designed by , the monthlong use of a condo in Naples, FL, and a gourmet dinner for six, prepared by the executive chef of The Townsend, to be served in the hotel's penthouse.

“Last year was the first year I attended, and I had a fabulous time,” Christie said. “I’m expecting another great evening.”

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