This year's Villa Maria Man Auction elicits laughs, raises over $20,000 for charity
By Olga Mosiychuk
This year's Villa Man Auction included everything from a band named "Pleezer," complete with groupies, to a cross-dresser named Sophie. Though entertaining, and often hysterical, the annual event is actually the largest fundraiser on the University of Portland campus. Villa raised $22,280 for the Holy Cross Mission Center in just under three hours last Thursday night.
"I love that we raised so much money for the Mission." said Mike Navarrete, a sophomore resident of Villa Maria. "There were a lot of great acts and all of us appreciated the turnout."
Sixteen groups composed of Villa Maria men performed throughout the night and incited a positive reaction from sophomore Ruby Stocking, one of the Pleezer groupies.
"I just couldn't help but throw my bra on stage," she said. "They made me want to drop my summer earnings and it was for a good cause."
There were a few groups who channeled this reaction into receiving high bids from the audience for their dates. Some raised over $1,000 by themselves.
"It's just one huge display of talent and goofiness and fun," Villa Maria Hall Director Tommy Stoffel said. "And a crapload of money goes to a really great cause."
Stoffel noted that, along with its charitable aspect, the Villa Man Auction is an event that gives students the opportunity to put together a large project and develop good communication skills. On top of all of this, the Man Auction seems to be getting better every year.
"It's gotten to be such a production that we are thinking about going on tour," Stoffel said.
Villa RA Ryan Alice sees the Man Auction as a unifying event.
"There is a big community that is created during Man Auction, the guys get together and are united under a common goal," he said. "There is more benefit than just the charitable one."
The event runs each November and provides students across campus the opportunity to witness the wit and hard work of the Villa Maria men, and to contribute funds to a worthwhile cause.
"We are a privileged school," said Stoffel. "'Teaching, faith and service' - I've heard it a million times. This isn't exactly a service but we are providing a means for service to occur."
The Holy Cross Mission Center strives to help those around the world who are in need, and Villa Maria is helping them accomplish this goal.
As Alice put it: "Villa did a damn good job."
