LONG BEACH – “We set a new record,” said Ocean Beach Education Foundation (OBEF) President Steve McPhail Tuesday morning when talking about the success of this year’s annual OBEF dinner and auction held Saturday, Oct. 6 at the Long Beach Elks Lodge.

The event, now in its 14th year, took in a gross of $62,000 – up from $60,000 just last year. The theme, “Our Kids are Out of This World,” lent an air of sci-fi chic to the affair. Set up along the entry to the silent auction tent outside, McPhail erected a giant replica of a NASA Saturn rocket – the same kind that took Buzz Aldrin to the moon – complete with fog machine-created smoke billowing from below. As is custom, many people decided to dress the part, including a pair dressed as Jane and Judy Jetson. McPhail himself wore a pair of green tights with his costume, a choice he may now regret.

“I got through it by not looking down all night,” he said. “When I got home I said, “What was I thinking?”

As dinner, prepared by Larry Piaskowy of the Port Bistro in Ilwaco, was served, many were gearing up for the main event – the live auction. This year’s auctioneer, ???, kept the pace lively and people involved. In fact the auction was done quicker in years past, a fact the McPhail attributed to people staying in tune the whole night. Some of the big sellers included a trip and stay at a vacation home in Wintergreen, Va., won by Fred Cook and friends for nearly $4,000. An Eric Weigardt original painting sold for upward of $1,000.

The biggest ticket item of the night was not a trip, or a painting, or anything at all for that matter. In fact, the biggest moneymaker was simply by donation.

McPhail said that for the first time ever at the event, the floor was opened up to anyone who wanted to make a donation of $500 – and nine people stood up. McPhail said the gesture earned the OBEF $4,500 and the generous nine a hearty round of applause.

The money taken in by the OBEF event each year is spent toward purchasing items for teachers that they wouldn’t otherwise have (around $12,000 a year) and on scholarships for graduating seniors ($6,000 a year). McPhail said they try to spend about a third of what they take in each year for these things. But last year they went above and beyond, donating $120,000 to the district to help secure a no interest bond that went to complete the renovation of Hilltop auditorium. With the big pay-out last year, they are looking to fill the pot some more, and are thinking of doing other fund-raisers throughout the year. McPhail said that anyone interested in helping or volunteering is welcome to contact them at 642-0878

And though this year’s dinner and auction just ended, McPhail said they are already looking ahead to next year’s event. Some theme’s that have been talked about include “Oscar Night” and a Robin Hood theme. One reminder of this year’s event looks to be hanging around for awhile though – the Saturn rocket was purchased by Jamie and Kris Kaino for $500. McPhail said that Kaino told him he’d like to do something special with it on the Fourth of July.