Hope dinner 2012Jamestown (CSi) The 25th Annual St. John’s Academy HOPE (Help Offer Private Education) Dinner and Auction is set for Saturday October 3, 2015 at St. John’s Zebedee Center, starting at 5-p.m.

Guests on Wednesday’s Wayne Byers Show on CSi Cable 2, Jim and Carolyn Exner have been involved with the planning for a number of years, including the first 10 years of the event, which was started in 1990 by then Pricipal, Sister Dorothy Zeller. The Exner’s have returned to Publicity Committee.

Carolyn pointed out that the first dinner and auction collected $2,500 from the dinner and $4,000 from the auction that was organized by Jim Exner.

More from Orr auctioned items at the first event, and continues through the years.

She added that in 1999 the event raised over $50,000 and through the first 10, around $317,000.

Over the past three years, each year the dinner and auction raised over $100,000 with the generous support of the community, both in attendance and those contributing auction items.

Sponsorships have increased from 9-sponsors in 1990, to 55 sponsors last year.

Jim pointed out that tickets are going quickly and to call St. John’s Academy for ticket purchases and availablitiy.

He said the first year the dinner and auction attracted about 160 participants, and now the event fills, with the limit of 300 attending.

The event outgrew the Jamestown Knights of Columbus Hall, and was moved to the Jamestown Civic Center.

The dinner and auction has been held at the Zebedee Center at St. John’s Academy since it opened in 2002.

Jim said the HOPE Dinner and Auction is one of the largest events in Jamestown each year, and has grown to include community-wide support.

Dollars raised through the years go to educational support, including keeping up with technology.

St. John’s Academy recent completed improvements to the school’s playground.