Gala FAQs

The Auction and Gala (Gala) is Houston Christian (HC) High School’s largest annual fundraising event held this year on April 14, 2023. The Gala is produced by a volunteer committee in partnership with the HC Development Office.  

• Live Auction Items: Do you have a vacation home, airline tickets, or theater tickets? Help us put together a great package that would bring families together to support HC!
• Group Gift: Collaborating with other families on a group gift is a wonderful way to participate. Consider putting together a trip, a collection of fine wines, or a night on the town – there is no limit to the imagination.

The Wine Cellar, The Wine Toss (two different items), and the Whiskey Wall
Donate a bottle or more of wine/whiskey/scotch or bourbon, or make a monetary donation. We also have a registry located at Specs (Queensbury Rd off BW8) where you can call in and place a credit card order for various priced bottles that will be collected by the Gala committee. Coordinate with Angela Wade Ferguson to drop off your wine at HC. If you prefer, you can make a monetary donation, and all donations will be pooled together, and a wine expert will select the wines.

FYI: The Wine Cellar is a collection of wine valued at $50+ that goes into the live auction – there are usually more than 50 bottles (instant Wine Cellar). The Wine Toss/Whiskey Wall (two different games) is a collection of wine valued at $30-$50 and whiskey (higher valued), where guests can play a fun game and win as many bottles as possible as they want or can.  

Anything Party: appropriate or festive.  

Men: sport coats, suit and tie, black tie, Texas Tux, navy slacks/khakis and a nice shirt, evening church-wear.

Ladies: “After five”, that little black dress or floor-length formal, evening-style church dress.  Simply classic to elegant, all are welcome no matter the attire!  We want you there!

Our Gala has two purposes: fundraising and community-building. This is a great opportunity to support the school while also building friendships and bonds with your fellow HC families and friends. Gala proceeds benefit all HC students by providing funding for important programs, activities, and enrichment that tuition does not cover. 

If your family rents the house, the FMV is established by your rental rates. If you do not rent your home, but other homes in the area are available for rent, the price charged for use of a similarly situated and sized home establishes the value. If there are no comparative commercial rentals, the cost of electricity, amenities, supplies, etc., for the donated period, may instead establish the FMV.

The price for which such items normally sell at a retail sports memorabilia store is the valuation for tax purposes. For unique and unusual items valued at less than $5,000, a letter from such a store is suitable. Again, if the item is worth more than $5,000, a formal written appraisal is required.

If you plan to give a specific item to the Auction that will be ready for pick up just days before the Auction, please submit a completed donation form before the donation deadline. Your item will then be described in the Auction even if it is not physically present.

Your selected business/name will get recognized any printed items, on our website, on Instagram and Facebook and a variety of other ways.   Each donation form will receive a letter after the event is complete (from the HC Development Office); therefore, a form is imperative for each item or grouping from the same individual/business so we have all the necessary information.  

The Donor’s responsibility is to state what was paid for the item originally or, to the best of his/her ability, what the item would be sold for.

The IRS defines fair market value as: “the price a willing buyer will pay a willing seller, in the normal marketplace in which the item is sold, neither being under any compulsion to sell.”

Therefore, new or used items available for sale at a retail establishment (physically or electronically) would be valued according to the normal selling price of the item. The valuation for collectibles, such as art and antiques, worth more than $5,000 must be established by the written opinion of a qualified appraiser and submitted with the donated item.

For items valued worth less than $5,000, a written opinion (an informal appraisal by an antique dealer) is helpful to document the valuation that may be claimed for income tax purposes.

Technically, the price one paid is not necessarily evidence of an item’s value. Even though an item is unique and not normally sold at retail establishments in the U.S., the donor has a responsibility to set and document a valuation. Either an informal written opinion or a qualified appraisal may be necessary to document the value.

You, the Donor, must place a FMV on the item before donating it to the Auction following the standards set out in question #1 above. If you plan to claim an income tax deduction for the donation and you believe the item to be worth over $5,000, the tax rules require you provide a written appraisal from a licensed appraiser.

Yes. Contact co-chair, Julia Florey, or Angela Wade Ferguson in HC Development, and either person will arrange a time to drop off or pick up by a volunteer.