2023 Night to Dream Big: Teacher Choice Award & Raffle Winner and Auction Results

QUINCY – The Quincy Public Schools Foundation hosted its 11^th Annual Night to Dream Big Gala at the Ambiance in Quincy as part of the Dream Big Annual Campaign fundraiser Friday.

The evening included many highlights, including Shawn Sparrow being announced as the 2023 Dream Big Staff Choice Award winner.  

Shawn Sparrow is the Student Support Family Liaison at Baldwin Elementary School. The Dream Big Staff Choice Award is s reserved for the individual who was selected through a peer-nomination and then community voting process. The nomination process was opened up to all staff of Quincy Public Schools. The nominee with the highest number of votes at each school location was then moved on to the community voting process.

The name for the 2023 Dream Big Raffle was also drawn and announced. Congratulations to Ron Vecchie for winning a CFMOTO CForce 500 ATV. This year’s Dream Big Raffle was made possible in part by Smith Brothers and R&R Golf. 

Other highlights from the evening include a Q&A between 2022 Distinguished Alumni Award Winner Ryan Tanner & this year’s Distinguished Alumni Winner James Stewart; a performance of the QHS Drumline; the honoring of this year’s Dream Big Award winner Ann Boland, and a live and silent auction.  

Preliminary results from the auctions are in, and together they raised more than $92,000 for the Quincy Public Schools Foundation’s Annual Campaign.  Items in the auction were donated from hundreds of community individuals and businesses and included things like a Spartan RZ Residential Zero Turn Riding Lawn Mower donated by Outdoor Power, Inc, a golf lesson with top golf instructor Chris O’Connell, and a dessert of the month package where the buyer gets  home baked goodies delivered to their home once a month for a year. 

QPSF is holding several events for bidders to pick up their auction items. These events are planned for Nov. 7 & 9 from both 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. Auction pick up will occur at Baldwin Elementary School at the circular drive on the west end of the building accessed from 30^th street. 

Questions about auction pickup can be directed to foundation@qps.org.