By Lindsay Martin
The Claremore Public Schools Foundation held its 2nd annual Brainiac Brawl and Silent Auction last month here at RSU in the Centennial Center.
This is a very beneficial fundraiser for the foundation because it serves many Claremore teachers and students by helping fund projects and field trip and supply them with necessary equipment and materials.
The Silent Auction consisted of items donated from people or businesses in the community.
The money raised from this also benefited the Claremore Public School Foundation tremendously.
Brett Lessley, who is the Treasurer of CPSF and heads the fund raising efforts, said that the foundation has raised over one million dollars in last 23 years.
This money has been given to the public schools in grants.
He said that the goal for 2011 is to raise $80,000. He makes note that if the foundation reaches this with help from the community, a local company will match the total.
During the competition, groups of people representing a sector in the community competed by answering questions and submitting them to ultimately see which group answered the most correctly.
RSU’s Honors Program and President Leadership Class were just two of the many groups that participated.
Each group funded their way to play in the competition. Contestants played six rounds that each consisted of twelve questions.
Topics ranged considerably with one round titled, “You’re doing fine, Oklahoma.” The competition was stiff at times, but it was light-hearted.
The reigning 2010 winners, the Taylor Burrage Lootin’ Lawyers, proved to be tough competitors.
In the end, the Hillcat Bizteks who represented RSU’s School of Business and Technology won the competition.
This year’s turnout was bigger than what it might have been due to the event being delayed because of the record snowfall that Claremore received back in February.
Dr. Barry A. Knight, who is a Professor Emeritus at RSU, summed up the evening by saying that “A great time was had by all!”