Auction Proceeds Will Help To Build New Catholic School Holy Family Will Be Built In The Next Two Years

Tom Feldhausen had a “phenomenal” night on March 3.

His school, Holy Family Catholic School, raised $406,000 in an auction for construction costs.

“I don’t know if anything has happened like this before in North Idaho,” the proud principal said.

Co-Chair Diane Murray said the school had expected to raise between $150,000 and $300,000.

With land already bought for a new building, the school needed to raise $3.3 million.

Forty percent of that now has been raised in the form of cash donations and pledges, said Feldhausen.

In the auction, a classroom project of self-portraits sold for $4,200, and a trip to India sold for $9,800. Tom Johnson, from Crescent Homes, made a child’s play house that sold for $2,300. When others said they’d buy another play house, Johnson agreed to make two more for $2,300 each, said Murray.

“I think we are established as a credible academy,” said Feldhausen, about people’s willingness to donate.

The “dreamers” who began the school four years ago still have much passion for the school, Feldhausen said. The new school will be built on 10 acres of land off of Kathleen Avenue in the next two years, said Feldhausen. Right now, the school is a parish facility.

The private school began with 58 children enrolled in kindergarten through third grade. This year, there are 156 students between kindergarten and sixth grade. More than 60 families have signed up for kindergarten classes next year, said Feldhausen.

Although the attendance rate is growing, Feldhausen wants to make sure the school can accommodate the school’s current students.

This fall, the seventh grade will be added. In 2001, Feldhausen said the school plans to have an eighth grade.

Gary and Tony Paquin, owners of Netivation.com, donated $175,000 worth of company stock to the school. Netivation.com is an Internet-based company serving political campaigns. The donation had specific instructions concerning where the money would go.

The money will fund a new gymnasium named in honor of Andrew Rypien the son of former pro football player Mark Rypien, who died of cancer in August of 1998.

The dedication was an emotional one, said Feldhausen.

“There was hardly a dry eye in the place,” Feldhausen said.

The Rypien family bought a three-story Victorian doll house, constructed personally by Feldhausen, for $3,750.

This week, the Rypiens’ two daughters “moved in,” said Feldhausen, and they already have a miniature Bible in the living room.

Feldhausen bought a soccer ball signed by the women’s World Cup team for $300.

More than 400 people attended the auction.

Past auctions have paid for computer labs and portable buildings. The auction brought in $108,000 last year.